A Brother's Voice
by Alura Nescire
Summary: Raph and Leo argue over what to do when Splinter is kidnapped. And Leo's decision... what on earth is he thinking? Can Raph work it all out before its too late? Was written as a one shot that I have extended because people liked it.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! Hope everyone is well. I needed to let everyone know that I have recently discovered a love for Ninja Turtles! So I wrote this (sorry if spelling of names etc. is incorrect) based of a video I found on good ol' Youtube. It can be a one shot, but if you like it, please leave a review and I'll write more :)**

**Cowabunga!**

**Alura xx**

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><p>"Leo!"<p>

Raphael wandered the lonely snow covered ground, his eyes scanning the area desperately for any sign of his brother. He had tried to follow Leo's trail, but the snow was beginning to change shape as the sky opened up and began raining heavily around him. Raph's breathing was raspy, and he trudged forward. The hours of searching were beginning to take its toll, but he wasn't giving up. With Michelangelo and Donatello injured, he was the only one who was able to search. He took comfort in knowing that two of his brother's were safe and recovering, but his heart reached out to find his elder brother.

"LEO!" His voice began to crack as he called the name.

Raphael sighed and looked around in despair, trying to get his bearings in this foreign environment when he saw something in the snow. As he moved closer to it, he saw in horror what it was. Blood.

Raphael dipped his fingers into the trail. It was relatively fresh; it wasn't cold, which made Raph shudder at the thought. Determination filling his eyes, he stumbled onwards, ignoring the sheer cold that swamped his skin. He closed his eyes, searching mentally for Leonardo.

"Leo, where are you?"

His mind went unanswered, which just made Raphael more determined than ever to find his fellow turtle.

His shell began to shake with cold and fatigue as the rain became heavier, and he struggled on alone.

"Raph..."

Raph shuddered as his mind suddenly connected with his brothers. The voice he heard was barely a whisper, but it gave Raphael what he wanted. To hear his brother's voice again, to know that he was alive.

"Leo! I'm coming for you!"

Raph sprinted as he felt the connection growing stronger, giving him renewed hope. Up ahead, through the freezing rain, he saw his brother.

Leonardo was lying on his back, not even making the effort to stop the rain falling on him. His own blood surrounded his battered body, and his katana was sticking out of the ground nearby. He barely saw the blurry figure that ran towards him. Raph had never felt as much fury as he did when he realized the extent of Leo's injuries. The membrane that connected his shell to his body was red and swollen, and it looked like it had been severed completely from his left side, and blood flowed from it as Raph knelt beside his brother.

Raph gently held Leo's face in his hands, checking for a pulse. It was there, but weak, like the heartbeat of a sick bird.

"Leo, look at me."

Leo didn't respond, his eyes staring into nothing. Raph pulled Leo onto his lap gently, wary of damaging the half severed shell and body of his fallen leader.

"Leo, look at me or I'll kick your ass!"

He felt Leo's breath cold and shallow against his chest. Raph softened, drawing back his usually harsh personality in order to comfort his brother.

"You're going to be ok, Leo. You hear me?"

Raph felt tears begin to fall from his eye as he looked down at his brother, his sadness masked with rain.

He didn't want to find his brother alive, only to have him die in his arms. He... He wouldn't be able to deal with that.

Leo brushed his bloodied hand weakly against Raph's, summoning the remainder of his strength and ignoring his pain in order to do so. Raph looked into his brother's eyes, and was almost stunned to see Leo staring back.

"Raph..." Leo whispered. "I'm... sorry."

"Leo, don't-"

But Leo didn't hear anymore. His head lolled back onto Raph's arm.

"No! Leo!"

Raph clutched his brother and sobbed into Leo's chest as the sky got darker, and the ground became a sea of red water around them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! I hope everyone is absolutley shell-tastic! :P**

**I would just like to say thank you to all those people who reviewed the first chapter, who gave feedback, and corrected my horrible grammar. Please, if I do make any mistakes, please feel free to correct me. Even though English is my first (and only) language, I'm afraid that I'm not very good at it. **

**Okay... this is Chapter 2. I was really glad that people wanted me to write more, but I'm really worried that it will ruin the first chapter. I actually like the first chapter very much, so I really hope this doesnt ruin it. I have an idea as to where it is going, but I cant garuntee updates very often. I am a very busy student, and I need to do schoolwork before Fanfics... like I should be doing right now... :P**

**If this chapter doesnt seem very good, I promise to do something to make it better, I'm open to suggestions. **

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><p><span>TMNT: A Brothers Voice<span>

By Alura Nescire

Chapter 2

**Four weeks earlier...**

Raphael punched the punching bag extra hard, secretly wishing that it was Leonardo's face, and he felt no guilt whatsoever for doing so.

"Listen Raph, I know you want to get out there, but that would be irrational. We don't have a plan!"

"And that's all that we ever get from you! Master Splinter's been gone for three weeks, and we're just sitting here on out butts, and we don't have a clue where he is!" Raph struck the bag with an aggressive high hick, and it flew from its hanger, landing at Leo's feet with a thud. "So much for our great leader!"

Donatello and Michelangelo glanced at each other, trying to distract themselves from the conversation with their pizza, not wishing to get involved. They were quite used to their brothers arguing, but it worried them that these arguments were growing increasingly aggressive over the last three weeks, to the point where Donatello had been forced to sedate them once to stop them when a fight had escalated.

"Raph, we can't do anything until they contact us with a ransom! They're impossible for us to track; even Donny's tracking devices didn't work."

Donny looked down in disappointment, and Mike put a supportive hand on his shoulder. Donny's gadgets almost always worked, but the one time they had really needed them, they had failed them, and Donny had obviously taken this to heart, despite his brothers' best efforts to comfort him.

"It's almost time to go again." Leo turned from Raph, unsheathing his swords. "You guys ready?"

"Wait," Donny said, going to his bag and fishing out four small devices on strings. "Can everyone put these on? Their new tracking devices I've been working on. I'd like to test them while were out tonight."

Raph glanced at the small flat piece of metal on string, and crossed his arms. "I ain't wearin' no necklace." He grumbled.

"Raph," Leo took two devices, thrusting one at Raph and putting one around his own neck. "Shut up and put it on."

Raph growled menacingly, then uncrossed his arms and put the tracking device around his muscular neck. Donatello had to stop himself from sighing with relief, thankful that he hadn't been the cause of another argument. He and Mikey donned their own devices, and nodded at Leo.

The turtle teens abandoned their pizza as the four ninjas began the long journey up the sewers to the surface.

Atop the building they waited, just as they had done the previous nights, watching and waiting for someone to come.

Raph spun his sai's, an action which indicated to the others that he was frustrated.

"Every night," he seethed. "Every night, for three weeks, we come up here and freeze our shells off for some ransom that isn't going to come." He began pacing. "They're not goin' to come."

"We can't just give up!" said Mikey.

"Yeah, we have to believe." Donny chipped in.

"That's what Splinter would say." Leo said, scanning the surrounding rooftops.

Raph snorted. "Well, Splinters not here, is he? If ya ask me, I'd say that whoever took Splinter is just screwin' with us to make us think that someone's gonna show."

"Maybe," said Leo. "But if there's even the smallest chance that someone's gonna show, I'll take it."

The turtles sat in silence as the night grew darker. Between Raph grumbling about his 'necklace' and Mike complaining about their abandoned pizza, conversation was limited.

It was past midnight when Leo made the decision to leave.

"You coward, Leo."

Leo turned swiftly towards Raph. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Raph's eyes narrowed aggressively through his red mask. "You're too chicken to go after Splinter. You rely too much on your precious 'planning'. We should have gone straight away, but no, we had to stay back and do nothing as they took Splinter. You're a pathetic leader."

Mikey and Donny stepped back as they saw Leo draw his swords and stand defiantly against Raphael. They were sort of used to sibling rivalry, but they had never seen anything this serious.

"Splinter should have made me leader." Raph continued, oblivious to Leo's actions as he stood beak to beak with him. "I'm better than you. I'm stronger, I'm braver, I'm faster, and most importantly, I TAKE ACTION!"

Leo was about to retaliate when an arrow was shot towards them from another rooftop. The turtles ducked and drew their weapons, standing shell to shell as they surveyed the surrounding roofs.

Content that there would be no more arrows on the way, Leo spotted the arrow, and cautiously made his way towards it. He picked it up, and unraveled a piece of paper that was attached as the others came over to him.

"What is it Leo?" asked Mikey, clutching his nun chucks tightly.

"It's the ransom." Leo squinted, trying to read the small letters in the darkness. Donny held a glow stick under the paper, illuminating it from behind.

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><p><em>As you know, we have your Rat mentor. He is relatively unharmed, but this will not be the case for much longer. I wish to deal with him in a way that will make him suffer, physically and psychologically. I wish also to make all you reptiles suffer, to study you from a psychological perspective as well as a physical.<em>

_If you want to save your master, there will be an exchange. One of you must take the Rats place._

_The turtle who will be traded will meet us here at midnight tomorrow, alone. If there is more than one turtle, he will die. If you plan to fight back or ambush us, he will die. And if you are cowards and do not show at all, then he will die. At 12:30 AM the other turtles may come and collect the Rat. If they come before that time, he will die._

_Your master requires medical treatment, and will be further scarred at my command if you break these rules. He will be given painkillers once the trade has been made successfully, and he will be left here for you._

_If the trade is not successful… he will meet his doom._

_It matters not to me if the Rat lives or dies, but it will make the turtle that I study more interesting to work with if he lives._

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><p>"Signed…" Leo squinted, and then lowered the paper. "Bishop."<p>

Raph slammed his fist on the ground. "Damnit!"

"Leo, what do we do?" Donny lowered his glow stick in despair.

Leo was silent, and was glad for the cover of darkness as he felt a tear roll from his eye.

"… Let's just go home for now."

Even Raph didn't argue as they left. They had lost the battle, and now they were going to lose the war.

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><p>Raph was so angry. The red-clad turtle swiped the punching bag with his Sais, ripping gaping holes in it as the stuffing fell out. Leo pulled him off it.<p>

"Raph, that isn't helping."

Raph shrugged him off. "Bishop, that bastard! Who knows what he's done to Splinter by now!"

Raph sat angrily on the couch, his fists clenched so tight that his green knuckles were rapidly turning white. The others sat at the table, Mikey stuffing his face full of cold pizza.

Mikey noticed the others glaring at him. "What? I eat when I'm upset, okay?"

"Okay," Leo put the note down on the table."This isn't going to be easy. One of us has to go, Bishop holds all the cards."

"I'll go." All four of the turtles said in unison. They all smiled slightly at their eagerness to take their Masters place, even though Leo knew that they were all scared out of their shells of Bishop, even Raphael.

"Me! I wanna go!" Mikey yelled eagerly, bits of Pizza flying out of his mouth.

"No, Mikey, you're the youngest. I'll go." Donny volunteered, but Leo could tell that the brainy turtle breathing calmly in order to hide his fear.

"No, neither of you are going." Leo said firmly. "Mikey, I know that you want to show courage, but Donny's right, you're too young, and you were almost chopped up by Bishop before. "

"Aw!" Mickey complained, but Donny sighed with relief, knowing that the youngest of his brothers would be safe.

"That doesn't mean that you're going to go instead, Donny." Leo said firmly. "The letter says that Splinter will need medical attention. You're the best doctor out of all of us. You'll be doing your part by treating Splinter when we get him back."

"But-"

"You'll be doing your part when Splinter gets back, and Mickey can help you out by looking after sensei."

The Orange and Purple clad turtles nodded at each other, and then fell silent. The final decision was about to be made.

Raph stood up and came over to the table, knowing that it was his turn to argue with Leo. Of course, Leo was going to argue that he should go, and that Raph should stay to look after his brother's.

Raphael saw the ghost of a hidden emotion pass over Leonardo's face, and then Leo said the words that they were least expecting. Leo narrowed his eyes at the Red-clad turtle.

"Raphael will take Master Splinters place."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, I'm back! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed etc. :) I am actually loving the reactions to Leo decision from you all! Is that evil?**

**Anyway, here is chapter 3, which may not be very exciting, its basically just how the other Turtles react to Leo's decision. But, oh, JUST YOU WAIT till the next chapter... *laughs evilly at the twist that is planned***

**To answer some questions: 44TayLo, Oh, yes, Leo does have a plan... dondena, I have taken your tracker device idea into consideration, thank you, it'll play a bigger part later :) Who am I. Well. I'm just me, thanks so much for your support :) And to Rose Black Dragon, you are absolutely right. Leo is not a cruel person. But... have you ever heard the phrase 'you have to be cruel to be kind'?... *suspense* :P**

**Anyways, review please :)**

**Alura xx**

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><p>The three brothers stared at Leonardo in utter horror. Had... Had they really just heard that? Who was this creature, standing before them, about to send their own brother to his death? Was this their leader?<p>

Raphael didn't know how to react. On one hand, he was glad that the rest of his brothers would be safe, but on the other hand... He was hurt. Hurt that Leo could throw away his life so suddenly, with no objection or argument to it. But this was Raphael, so his hurt turned into immediate hurt and anger.

Leo remained stone faced, his expression blank and matter-of-fact.

"Leo..." Mikey spoke up softly. "What are you doing?"

"It's alright Mikey." said Raph, his voice cold, hiding his aching heart. "If ol' fearless here wants me to do his dirty work, then I will."

Leo turned his head sharply to Raph.

"I'm glad you agree, Raph." he said, even colder than Raph had spoken. "After all, I'm a coward. Like you said, you're stronger, you're faster, and you're braver than I could ever be."

The two brothers locked eyes, both determined not to be the first one to look away. As Raph stared his brother down, Leo looked away, but it was in a manner that was authoritative, as if he knew that he was better than Raph, even though he had just said the opposite.

"And until you prove to me otherwise, I always will be better than you." Raph growled. "And that's why I'm gonna save Splinter, without yer help!" said Raph, turning and going to train. "Who's the hero now, princess?" He slammed the heavy door behind him.

"Fine, I'm glad you agree!" Leo practically screamed after him. "You're a hero! You would make a better leader than me!"

As the echo faded away into nothing, Mikey stood abruptly, his chair crashing onto the floor behind him.

"Why, Leo?" he demanded, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. "Why did you do that? Why are you sending Raph? Don't you care about him at all?"

Leo just stared emotionless at his brother, who choked back a cry and ran from the room.

"Mikey!" Donatello ran after him, leaving Leo alone in the vast space.

Leo sighed, leaning on the table and dropping his head. He didn't like it, but it had to be done for all their sakes. Gradually he made his way to the meditation room, clawing himself away from the cries of his younger brother, and the grunts of a hard training Raphael. Leo sat on the meditation mat and he concentrated hard. He could feel his Sensei's presence, but he made no attempt to communicate with him. Leo felt too ashamed, and he hoped that one day his Father would understand and forgive him.

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><p>A few hours later, he went to visit Donatello in his lab. Donny looked up and acknowledged his presence, but was obviously cross with him. Leo smiled grimly an observed the line of gadgets that Donny had spread out on a table.<p>

"... How are the tracking devices going?"

Donny shrugged.

"Not too bad. The tech in the ones we were wearing tonight seemed to work, I'm working on making them smaller, and having them put elsewhere." Donny smiled. "Raphy wasn't too happy about his necklace."

Leo smiled slightly too. Donny held up something small with a pair of tweezers.

"Once I'm done, I'll be able to insert the chip down the back of our shells. It should be virtually undetectable."

"Like micro chipping a dog?"

"Kind of."

Leo smiled. "Keep me posted on it." Leo began to walk out.

"I'll make one for Raph as soon as I can." Leo shuddered as Donny said these words, and Donny noticed this in disbelief. "You... were planning on going after him... Weren't you?"

Leo stopped for a second, and then hardened, clenching his fists.

"Leo, do you have a plan?" Donny was just about ready to burst into tears and kill his brother at the same time."

"…Be sure to get some sleep, Donny." He left to go and visit Mikey, leaving Donny with a feeling of disgusting hatred for his brother. He felt a tear roll from his eye, but he brushed it away, determined to finish the device before his brother was sent away to his death. Had his own brother really become so shallow as to not even think of rescuing his brother? This wasn't the Leo that they knew, and it wasn't the Leo that Donny wanted to know. He shook his head at the thought and continued to work.

Leo gently rapped the door with his knuckle, hoping that Mickey hadn't gone to sleep yet. He heard a sniffle from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

Leo opened the door and entered the dark room. The room was messier than usual, but that was to be expected of his younger sibling. Leo sat on the bed next to Mikey, who was wrapped up in his sheets clutching an Aqua man comic. Mikey tried to smile, but Leonardo could tell that he had been crying. His face was blotchy, and his orange bandana had wet patches under the eyes.

"How's Aqua man going?"

Mikey shrugged. "He's chilling' with batman. They're pretty close to each other. Like brothers. Brothers that don't fight." Mikey glared at Leo with his last sentence. Leo sighed.

"Even people who are close to each other sometimes separate, Mikey. That's why Batman and Aquaman have their own comics."

Mikey held back a sniffle. "Leo, why are you sending Raphy? I mean, I know he wants to go, but... It was just the way you said it! Are you punishing him for something?"

"I'm sending Raph because I know how strong he is. He... could beat anything. Do anything. He has the potential to be a great leader someday."

Mikey shook his head, not understanding his brother's words at all.

"You'll understand one day, Mikey."

Leo went to put a hand on Mikey's shoulder, but Mikey shrank back from him, angrily avoiding his gaze.

Leo stood. "Be sure to be awake by 9PM tomorrow, Mikey. Goodnight."

Leo began walking to the door.

"What happened to you, Leo? I thought you were the best! You were the Aquaman to my Batman. Now, I... I don't even know you..."

Leo looked down, his bandana creasing. "Goodnight Mikey."

Leo's heart felt like it was about to break into a thousand pieces as he left his brother sobbing quietly into the dark.

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><p>Leo opened the door of the training room, and ducked just in time to save himself from being decapitated by a couple of Ninja stars. He saw Raph standing there, breathing heavily, having almost worn himself out for the night by using every single weapon in the room. He turned to Leo and began to sharpen his Sai's.<p>

"Hey, Raph."

Raph nodded, briefly acknowledging Leo's existence. "Yo, Leo."

Leo approached slowly, observing the battered training room around him. "How are you?"

"Oh yeah, perfect, Y'know, my own brothers sending me to my death. Besides that, I'm perfect!"

Leo crossed his arms. "I thought that you would want to go."

"Of course I want to go! If it'll save Splinter and my brothers, then I'll go. Jesus Christ, Leo, what's the matter with you? None of us want to go, Leo, but we're Ninjas, so we do what we have to do, even if that means making sacrifices!" Raph became quieter, ashamed that he had spilled out his emotions to his brother. "Whad'ya wants, Fearless?"

"Raph, listen-"

"No! You can shut yer piehole for just a minute!" Raph cut him off. "I've always trusted you, Leo. Every day of my life, and especially those times where you've saved my ass. But I don't know what ya doin' here! I want to go, to save Splinter, but it's like you don't want me around no more." Raph drew closer to Leo. "Maybe you just don't wanna go. You stinkin' coward. You're my brother. MY BROTHER!" Raph went to strike Leo, but Leo blocked the blow with his Katana. Raph was so close to Leo, he could feel his breath, and it hurt Raph to see nothing on Leo's face, not one single emotion.

"Doesn't it hurt Leo? To be leader? To be makin' all these tough decisions on your lonesome... and knowin' the concequences?"

Raphs eyes narrowed his eyes through his bandana, the crimson material surrounding his eyes like flames of rage.

"Does it hurt to be sendin' me instead of goin' ya'self?'

"Shut up..." Leo growled through clenched teeth.

"But I suppose your too important to go." Raph continued, oblivious, and taking joy in enraging his brother. "After all, you are Splinters favourite."

"I said SHUT UP!" Leo pressed on his Katana's, pushing them towards Raphael. The blade clipped Raphs arm as he defended himself, a bit of blood oozing from his green skin. Raph was shocked at this action, but Leo showed no emotion again. In fact, Leo's inner turmoil was about to burst from him.

"...I love you, Leo, and I thought you loved me too." Raph shoved Leo off and holstered his Sai's.

"You're not my brother anymore." He turned his back to Leo. "You're dead to me."

Leo began to walk out, unable to hide any of his emotions for much longer. He half turned back to Raphael.

"For the record," he said, looking at his brother's shell. "I meant what I said." Leo narrowed his eyes. "You would make... a fantastic leader."

Raph almost turned around at this, but he held his ground, picking up the harshness and sarcasm in Leo's voice.

"Goodnight, Raphael."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hiya everyone! I haven't been so shelltastic lately... I home sick from school today. So, I decided to use the time to upload another chapter :)**

**Seriously, please don't kill me for this chapter. I have a plan... sort of. If you have any ideas for the next chapters, please leave a review, or PM me with ideas. I absolutley PROMISE that this is going somewhere... I'm just not sure which path its going to take. Warning for drug references in this chapter. **

**Enjoy!**

**Alura xx**

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><p>The darkness of the midnight sky was suddenly invaded by unwelcome guests as the helicopters began to close in, spotlights focused strongly on the red clad turtle as he stood on the roof. Bishop smiled from the largest of the helicopters as he saw the turtle throw his Sai's down and raise his hands in defeat. "So, they gave us Raphael... Most interesting..." he lifted a phone to his lips. "Give Raphael his Father back," ordered bishop. "Then take him."<p>

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><p><em>Three hours earlier...<em>

Three of the turtles had slept throughout the day, hoping to become a little more rested. One however, did not sleep.

Leo meditated, trying to feel splinters aura to make sure that he was actually alive before he would be forced to make the hardest decision of his life. With all his heart, he wanted to communicate with his Father... But... What would he say? His brothers were restless and hurt because of his decision, and he did not wish to shed his burden onto his father. Slowly, he stood and went to look for Raphael.

...

Mikey woke, rested yet still drowsy, having slept a solid 20 hours. He checked his clock and saw that it said 9PM. Mikey smiled to himself, congratulating himself on his perfect timing. He noticed his door open, and tossed his Aquaman comic aside (he had coming to the conclusion, before he had fallen asleep, that Aquaman sucks) in order to welcome his visitor.

"Hey." A rough voice spoke to him.

"Hey Raph." Mikey responded, yawning widely. "How you feeling dude?"

The turtle closed the door behind him, leaving the room in darkness again. Mikey felt himself pulled into a tight hug, and he hugged his shaking brother back.

"Hey, Raph, don't worry. No matter what it takes, we'll bust you out. Us brothers stick... Together..."

Mikey felt the small prick of a needle on his arm, and immediately felt even more drowsy than he had before. He lay back down, falling into a heavy sleep as his brother held him gently, kissed his forehead and then left Mikey to his dreams as he went to face his nightmares.

...

Donny looked up as someone entered the lab. He had the lights down, as he had only just got up, and because he was wearing welding glasses as he had done the final touched to his newest toy. He was pleased that he had completed the miniscule tracking device to his satisfaction, and wanted to show it to whoever just entered.

"Hey Don." A familiar rough voice approached.

"Hey Raph." Donny smiled at the dark form of his brother, and then looked back down at the chip. "Did Leo send you?"

"... Yeah."

"Cool. I've finished your new tracking device, and it's not a necklace this time." Donny smiled slightly. "It's a chip small enough to fit down the back of your shell." His brother approached closer from behind, as if to get a better look but not obstruct Donny's workspace. "I can insert it down the back of your shell in a minute." Don sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with Leo, Raph, but I bet he's coming up with a plan right now. It's not like him to sit still on his shell and do nothing."

"I guess ya right Donny. There must be a plan."

Donatello felt a needle in his arm, and in an instant reaction he whirled around, and, in doing so, he accidently stuck the tracker into his brothers' left side. He felt his brother flinch as the tracker was stabbed into his green flesh with the tweezers. As he fell into a deep unwanted sleep, he felt himself carried in a fireman's lift into his dark bedroom and lain down on his own bed. He felt his brother hug him and kiss his forehead, and he knew no more of what happened.

...

"What the-?" Leo exclaimed as he entered Raph's room. The room was strewn with mess and Raph stood in the middle of it, dividing the mess into piles. "Raph, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like, knucklebrain?" Raph growled. "Dividin' my shit up for you guys." His voice became softer, yet lost none of its harshness. "I won't be needin' it where I'm goin'."

Leo choked back a sob and clenched his teeth hard at this remark, feeling tears well up in his eyes.

"Raph... I'm so sorry..." Leo began to approach his brother.

"Forget it Leo."

"No... I meant for this."

Raphael's eyes widened as he turned on his feet and saw Leo plunge a needle deep into his arm. He swiped groggily at Leo and almost fell over with the effort. Leo caught him and held him tightly as Raph attempted to speak.

"Leo... what... don't!"

"It's ok Raph." He felt Raph fighting, yet he weakened, and Leo placed his brother back onto his bed, laying him on his shell and kissing his brothers' forehead. "Technically, you're still going."

His tears flowing freely now, Leonardo gently took Raph's red bandana from around his brothers' confused and angry eyes, and his Sais, and replaced them with his own blue bandana and Katanas, including the belt with which Leo used to carry his swords.

"L... Leo..." Raph's eyes were still wide, and he stared at Leo in disbelief as his older sibling donned the red bandana and sheathed the Sai's in his belt.

"You have to be cruel to be kind, Raph. You were right. I couldn't save splinter, but I can keep you all safe and sound until the swap is made."

Leo put a hand on his brother's cheek, and Raph knew that he meant everything he was saying. "I love ya, bro. Look after the others for me."

Raph was horrified, not sure if it was the effect of the drugs, but he was looking up at himself, or so it seemed. Leo had taken on Raphael's persona completely, even his voice. Why? And why had Leo placed his blue bandana around Raph's eyes?

"I trust ya ta work this all out Raph." Raph's eyes slid shut against his will as the splitting image of Raphael left the room, leaving 'Leo' to a disturbed, drug induced sleep.

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><p><strong>Ooh... thoughts?<strong>

**What is Leo's plan? Why is he disguised as Raphael, and why has he decided to make Raph himself? (I know that Leo and Raph dont actually look the same, but I figured that people who dont really know them, like bishop, wouldnt care to notice) Please review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone, how you doin'? :) Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed etc. for your support! You guys are amazing! I never imagined that I could get so many reviews for a story- and a story that is only really just warming up...**

**Thanks so much for your patience, readers. I will try to update every week or so.**

**Please enjoy and review this chapter. Thanks!**

**Alura xx **

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><p>Raph's body jolted violently as he woke suddenly, his head ached, his vision was blurry. Had it just been a dream? He sat up on his bed, his head whirling, and saw the piles of mess on the floor, and it all came flooding back to him. Holy shit, it wasn't a dream! He realized in horror the brightness of the blue bandana that surrounded his blurry vision. That's right... Leo had come in, drugged him, and taken his stuff. But what he didn't know was why! Why, Leo, why?<p>

Raph was aware of how much he noticed the absence of his Sais, which Leo had replaced with... His stupid, flipping Katanas! Raph shifted as he felt the foreign weight of two swords on his back, and he reached an arm over his shoulder in an attempt to remove them. He regretted it immediately, his arm aching from the needle, and his body complaining from lying so still when his mind knew that he should have gone after his brother.

Shell, his brothers!

Raph launched himself off his bed in an uncoordinated fashion, not caring, or having the time, to remove Leo's gear. He tripped over the mess on his floor and rammed into the doorframe as he did so, his body complaining from his sudden uprising as he pushed himself towards Mikey's room.

He burst through the door into the dark room to see Donny helping Mikey slowly off his bed.

"Just take it slow, Mikey." Don instructed him as Mikey clutched his head and groaned. Raph was glad that Don had gone to check on their youngest brother first. After all, it was a family's nature to look out for the youngest member, but that thought only reminded him of why Leo wouldn't let Mikey go.

Mikey swayed, his eyes crossed, and he managed to stay upright by himself.

"Is this what a hangover feels like?"

Raph almost smiled at his younger brothers' remark.

"Ya too young to know, Mikey."

Donatello and Michelangelo look up to see the blue clad turtle in the doorway.

"Leo!" Donny exclaimed. "Are you okay? Raph drugged us!"

"Now listen here ya punk, I didn't drug nobody!" Raph raised a fist in annoyance. "And don't be sayin' otherwise, or you're gonna get your shell kicked!"

Mikey and Donny stared in confusion and disbelief. "Raph?"

"No, I'm Batman." Raph grumbled sarcastically. "Course it's me!"

"But- What- Why are you dressed like Leo?" Donny asked, trying to determine whether the turtle standing in the doorway was real or just an unexpected side effect from the drug.

"I dunno, he dressed me like this." Raph dismissed the question, as he didn't know the answer himself, and it frustrated him beyond belief. "Why'd ya say I drugged ya's?"

"Well someone did! And it sure sounded like you, bro." said Mikey rubbing his head.

"I was so sure it was your voice..." Donny added.

"Well it sure as shell wasn't me, cos Leo was the one who drugged me!"

Don narrowed his eyes "Are you sure?"

"Don, Leo drugged me, took my shit, dressed me up like this and left!" Raph pointed to the blue bandana. "This aint my colour, bro!"

""Has Leo gone mad?" Donny adjusted is bandana in a worried way. "Why does he want you to look like him?"

"Yeah! And why would Leo go as Raph?" asked Mikey. "I wouldn't, one Raphael is enough for me!"

Had it been an ordinary day, Raph would have slapped his brother over the back of the head for that remark. But it wasn't an ordinary day, so Raph ignored the remark and concentrated on the question.

"I dunno Mikey, he was all like 'I can keep ya's safe by keeping you here' or some crap like that." Raph rubbed his arm. "I was kinda half drugged at the time."

"Shell!" Donny exclaimed, and he leaped up. "What time is it?"

They grabbed Mikey's clock and stared at it in defeat.

"Its past midnight." said Donny "We're too late to stop him."

...

Despite using their agile ninja skills to make it to the roof in record time, it was already too late. They drew their weapons, ready to strike any opponent who appeared, but then they saw their Father.

"Master Splinter!"

Donny and Mikey ran to the unconscious figure of the large rat that they saw lying in the middle of the roof. Raph scanned the sky and surrounding roofs, but there was no sign of Leo or Bishop anywhere. Not a single stinking person that he could bust up just to hide his inner turmoil.

"Dammit." he muttered to himself, clenching his fists. "What's ya plan here Leo?"

Raph tried to holster the Katanas without cutting his own shell off, and he turned his attention away from their dark uninhabited surroundings and went to their unconscious Rat master. His robe was tattered, yet still intact, the material hanging off his thin bone structure. Donny didn't say so out loud, but he suspected that Splinter hadn't eaten for quite some time. Donny checked for a pulse, and smiled with relief when he found one.

"He's alive."

Splinter looked as if he were in a restless sleep, but also like he had been lain down gently. Had Leo done that? Had Leo seen Splinter before he had been taken?

"Mikey," said Donny as he went into Doctor Mode. "Get some bandages from my bag." Mikey did so as Don whipped out a scanner.

"Leo, I'm just doing a quick health scan."

Raph almost punched his brother for calling him Leo, but then Donny gestured to the scanner. As Raph looked closer, he saw "Detecting bugs..." lit up on the screen. He nodded that he understood to Donny. Whatever Leo's plan, he didn't want Bishop to know that Leo was Raph and that Raph was Leo. The scanner finally beeped.

'Bugs detected... Zero."

"Good." Donny fished out a torch and gently shone it over their father.

The external damage... Well... There was hardly any. His paws were scratched and his wrists were bruised as if he had struggled against someone or something, and his fur was untidy, but otherwise he was unharmed.

"I don't understand. The letter said that he would need medical attention, but there's hardly any external damage." said Donny, feeling gently along Splinters torso. "I think he's got a broken rib, but I can't tell for sure until we get back to the lab and do an X-Ray."

Splinter flinched and groaned, and the turtles moved in closer, as if trying to comfort him by filling his immediate personal space bubble.

"Splinter, can you hear me?" Mikey snapped his fingers in front of this master's face. Splinter tried to open his eyes but couldn't seem to. Donny gently pried one of his Father's eyes open.

"Oh my god!" Donny stepped backwards, staring in horror.

"What is it Donny?" Raph demanded.

"His eyes!"

Raph gently peeled back one of Splinter's eyelids, and saw that they were completely white. Splinters pupils were gone, or at least covered in some sort of whiteness.

"I think he's been drugged. We have to get him back to the lair Raph!"

"What about goin' after Leo?" A mixture of worry, anger and confusion seemed to pass over Raphael's face, before it returned to his usual stone hard expression.

"I think splinter is out priority at the moment." he hesitated. "...Surely Leo can look after himself for a while?"

Raph's brow creased with concern, and then he nodded. "Alright, let's go."

He made a silent prayer, knowing that his brother would not be able to hear him, but hoping all the same. "_Hold on Leo, whatever ya plan is_."

...

They had put a sack on Leos head, and had shot him with a dart that had paralysed his limbs the moment he had got his Father back. At least they had given him enough time to lay him down gently. Leo's stomach lurched a little, feeling airsick from the combination of turbulence and drugs. His feet and hands were bound and his mouth gagged tightly, preventing even the smallest murmur from passing his lips. But Leo still found a reason to smile. His family was safe. Bishop had bought his act. From now on, he wasn't the 'Fearless' Leonardo; he was the angry red turtle who always threw the first punch, Raphael.

They had been traveling for a while, and Leo had begun to shiver. It was cold, even for the altitude that they were flying at. Were they traveling to the mountains? That was the only place that Leo knew was this cold.

He snapped back to reality as he heard footsteps approach. The sack was wrenched off his head, and he found himself face to face with Bishop. His eyes narrowed angrily at him, and his muscles pulled at the bonds that tied him, as if to strike the agent.

"You're in no condition to attack me, Raphael." Bishop sneered as he knelt beside Leo. Leo still tensed, not relaxing at all. He knew that he was in no condition to attack, but that never stopped Raph from trying. "I just want you to satisfy my curiosity."

Bishop ripped the gag from Leo's mouth, and Leo continued his hostile stare.

"What? Ya son of a-"

"Why did you come, Raphael?" Bishop interrupted him "I wasn't expecting you... I was expecting Leonardo to give himself up."

Leo hid a nervous shudder, and he stared back defiantly at the inhuman man. "I gotta family to protect... And Leo's bein' a pussy."

Bishop laughed. "Well, it's really a good thing that you came. Splinter didn't have the... 'Personality' for the project I'm working on... But I believe that you do. You were the one that I really wanted. If one of your brothers had come, I'm afraid they would have been sent back in a much worse condition than your father is in."

They need someone aggressive for this project to work, and Raph was somehow perfect for it. He knew that had the right decision by coming as his brother, but then Leo's blood began to boil. How dare he want to use Raphael as an experiment! Leave him alone!

Leo spat in Bishops face and Bishop grabbed his throat and shoved him against the cold inner shell of the helicopter.

"That sort of behaviour will get you killed within the week, and you would do well to stay alive if you do not wish for any harm to come to your brothers!"

Bishop struck Leo across the head, and Leo felt himself slide into unconsciousness as he felt blood slide down the back of his head. He felt himself gagged as the sack pushed roughly over his head again, and he made a silent prayer, knowing that his brother couldn't hear him, but all the same wishing that he could.

"_Come on Raph, work this out... I... I know you can..."_

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm... review? :P<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone! Thanks so much for being so patient with me! Heres a 3000 word chapter to make up for it :P Just so that people know, this story may take a little while to link up with the first chapter again- but I promise it will. Hopefully some of your questions are answered in this chapter. Please review if you enjoyed it :) **

**WARNING! Just a little coarse language in this chapter. Like, one really bad word, once. Just sayin'.**

**Cowabunga!**

**Alura xx**

* * *

><p>Michelangelo and Donatello lay Splinter down in the lab, tucking him into the unnaturally bright white sheets of the bed that had always been in that room.<p>

Raphael remained silent at the sight, watching the majority of his family with a creased brow. Before, it had been his Father tucking himself or one of his brothers into the bed when they were sick or injured. He had never even thought of tucking his Father into that bed, Splinter wasn't one that they had imagined getting injured.

Raph couldn't help wondering if they would ever see Leo in that bed again, and he felt a little selfish for doing so. It was a relief to have their guardian back, but what price had they paid for him, a life for a life? Tears almost welled up in his eyes at the thought, but he remained strong. Is that what Leo would do? Stay strong? The blue turtles mind was clouded in doubt, much more than usual.

"Guys, I've got to run a blood test to find what this drug is."

Donny got a clean syringe from a drawer, and Mikey almost ran away at the sight of it. Raph gathered his strength and stood next to Mikey, putting a hand on his shoulder. Right now, being there for his family was far more important than any amount of anger and confusion that he had bottled up inside him.

"Uh... it's alright Mikey, you can go if ya want."

Mikey shook his head. "Nah, it's okay dude."

Donny glanced at his brothers, realizing that maybe the seriousness of the situation had suddenly dawned on Mikey, but he wasn't admitting it.

Don turned back to Splinter, but could practically feel Mikey quivering as he tried to take a blood sample from their father. Mikey had always hated needles, even when they weren't meant for him. Donny shook his head and removed the needle from Splinters arm.

"I can't take any blood, I can't find a vein. He needs more fluids in him before I can even get close to one."

"Can ya at least wake him up?" Raph asked with subtle impatience. Donny glared at him. Leo would know why he couldn't do that.

"No, because if I try to wake him before his body feels like it's healed, the damage to his eyes could become permanent."

"Balls!" Raph threw his hands in the air. "What the shell are we supposed to do?"

Donny breathed calmly, trying to keep his cool.

"I don't know what the drug is without a blood test, but at least we can tell the symptoms." Don counted them off on two of his three fingers. "Drowsiness and temporary blindness. Blindness, so that he can't tell us where he was, because he wasn't able to see the route. And drowsiness so he can't talk, so that he can heal, and-"

Donny stopped suddenly.

"What, Donny?" Raph was suddenly even more concerned than before. Donny didn't just stop in the middle of a ramble for nothing.

"... So that we can't tell if, or what psychological damage has been done until it's too late."

"Crap!" Raph slammed his fist against the wall, a few flakes of brick and concrete crumbling off with the force of his blow.

"It'll take a few days for the drugs to go out of his system." Donny stated.

"Shit Donny, we don't have a few days! We need to know what's going on now! Do something!" Raph screamed in Donny's face.

Donny hardened. Raph could fight like this with Leo, but no way was he going to fight with him that way, Donny wouldn't allow it.

"Don't you dare take this out on me, Raph! I won't risk giving him adrenaline! He could lose his eyesight completely."

"We need him to tell us what happened, sooner rather than later, brainiac! What's the point of him having his sight if his favourite son isn't here for him to see?"

The room went silent.

Mikey sat next to the bed, holding his father's paw gently and staying out of the fight as Donny stared at Raph in horror.

"Is that what this is about Raph?" Donny whispered. "You think that now is the right time to be playing FAVOURITES?"

"Donny, I-"

"Just shut your trap Raph, and stop being selfish! THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU!" Donny had blown over his limit, the frustrations and trials of the last few weeks were spilling into plain view for everyone to see.

"You freakin' nerd!" Raph retaliated. "Don't think that I don't know that!"

"Shut up, both of you!"

The two brothers stared gobsmacked at Mikey, who was staring hatefully at them both.

"This isn't about either of you; it's about Leo and Splinter! Donny, stop being a know-it-all, and Raph, go take out your frustrations on a punching bag and not your family!"

Mikey never yelled. Never.

Both brothers reeled back a little. He had yelled just to bring them to their senses. A little more abnormity to rectify an abnormal situation, how does that work? They hadn't meant to upset Mikey, but they had upset him, and now the youngest was upsetting them in return. Donny's face went from a thunderstorm to almost raining in an instant.

"Mikey... Raph... I'm so sorry." Donny held a hand over his mouth, realising in horror that he had been yelling... And fighting. "That was the last thing that I wanted to do."

Mikey embraced Donatello in a bear hug, his eyes closed tightly. Raph felt that he should have joined in, but he wasn't really the hugging type.

"I'm sorry too guys." Raph mumbled. Donny and Mikey could tell that he genuinely meant his apology and pulled him into the hug as well. Raphael stood awkwardly, surrounded by affection and comfort, yet still totally alone.

"Don't let me lose you guys too." Mikey whispered.

Raph hugged his brothers for a moment, and then pulled out of it. "Don't worry, little bro, you're not gonna lose anyone. We're gonna work this whole thing out, find Leo, and then throw the biggest fricken' pizza party this sewer has ever seen."

Mikey smiled toothily, showing his pizza munchers, and felt a swelling hunger within. A hungry determination for victory, for the normality of his life to return... and for pizza.

"Right, first things first," Donny turned back to Splinter. "Let's get some fluids into Splinter."

Donny grabbed a drip and set it up next to Splinter, and Mikey held back his little tremor at the sight of the needle again. Donny inserted the drip into Splinters fragile arm, and then felt along the fragile frame of a torso.

"I think his rib is just cracked, not broken."

Raph and Mikey watched as Donny checked Master Splinter over completely. Placing a firm bandage around his rib, and stating that he would probably be fine after some rest, they gently bandaged his paws and wrists, doing what they could for him, then sitting themselves glumly on the floor.

Raph still hadn't taken off Leo's gear.

"Why don't you take off that stuff Raph?" Mikey asked.

"Cos I reckon 'that stuff' is a message from Leo." Raph shifted around uncomfortably under the weight of the Katanas and his brothers' gaze. "Problem is, I dunno what that message is."

Mikey stared, still getting used to calling this Leo lookalike 'Raph'. Raphael got cross with his brothers staring.

"It's rude to stare Mikey!" Raph crossed his muscular green arms. "Any ideas knuckleheads?"

"Hmm?" Donny looked up distractedly from the floor.

"C'mon guys, I need ya help here." Raph sighed. "Why would Leo dress up as me? Why didn't he just go as himself?" Raph looked down, scrunching his face in an expression of annoyance. "Jeez, this plan a Leo's is givin' me a headache."

"Maybe he was telling you that he wanted you to take charge?" suggested Mikey. "I mean, Leo's always been leader, and while he's been leader he wore that gear. Maybe he's telling you that he wants you to take over?"

"Nah," Raph stood and stretched. "He could have just told me that he wanted me to take over. There's gotta be more to it..." Raph's face fell suddenly as he had a thought. A horrible thought of realization and regret.

"Can... You guys gimme a minute?" Raph looked as if he were hiding something. Donny's brow creased in a confused and concerned way.

"Sure Raph, we'll stay here with Splinter."

Raph didn't need to ask to leave. He was already out the door.

Mikey glanced at Donatello in confusion, and Donny smiled slightly with his mouth, but not with his eyes.

"He'll be fine, Mikey."

Mikey was solemn. "Which one are you talking about?"

Mikey glanced at Splinter, then at the door where the Leo lookalike had gone out.

* * *

><p>Raph sat, head in his hands, on his bed in his room, the room where he had last seen his brother.<p>

_"... You're dead to me..._

_... Dead to me..._

_... Dead to me..._

_I should have been leader..._

_I'm stronger... faster ... I TAKE ACTION!"_

"Stupid. Stupid. STUPID!" Raph slammed a pillow to the messy floor. "How could I have said that?"

He ran a palm over his forehead, and picked up the pillow. What if that was all Leo had remembered him saying? What if Mikey was right? What if Leo had wanted him to take over... because he had felt that he wasn't good enough? Because Raph had told Leo himself that he wasn't good enough?

He looked to the piles that he had made for his brothers on his floor. Raph, when he had been sorting out his stuff, hadn't even bothered making a pile for Leo. At the time, he had been thinking that his brother wouldn't care enough to keep anything that he would give him. Now he saw that the problem was that Leo cared too much. What did that say about him, the brother of Fearless? He was the coward, not Leo.

Raph took off his brothers blue bandana and held it, staring into the vacant eyeholes. He could see his murderous hands clutching at the bandana, as if holding the absent soul of his brother. His eyes closed tightly. This was on his hands!

"Damn, I need a drink." Raph's lowered his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "A night up top wouldn't go astray..." And there you go again, Raph. Always freakin' running away.

_**"Don't you dare Raph!"**_

Raph's head shot up, and he shuddered involuntarily. It was like he had just made contact with some sort of invisible force, and a cold yet heart-warming voice had filled his disoriented mind. It was like someone had just tipped a bucked of cold water over him, as if they had been trying to get his attention, and were finally fed up with his stubborn ignorance.

"Leo?"

Raph looked around, not sure if he had even heard anything. Goddammit, was his mind playing tricks on him again?

_"Don't be stupid, Raph."_ He thought to himself. _"How could it be Leo?"_

Raph opened his clenched fist looked back at the crumpled bandana in his hand. It had folded itself over, and was seemingly looking at him angrily, the crease running down the middle and along the top of the eye holes. Raph stared back in disbelief.

"What- but... Leo?"

Raph stood shakily and roared, as if somehow his voice and the air from his lungs would by some miracle reach Leo.

"What the shell is going on Leo? Why is this happening to us?"

* * *

><p>"Splinter?"<p>

Donny dropped the gizmo that he was working on as he saw his father shudder.

"M-my sons..."

Mikey tossed his Nintendo aside as both turtles rushed to their father's side. Splinter tried to turn his head.

"Where... Where am I?"

Splinter tried to open his eyes, but Donny gently put a hand over his masters' eyes, blocking out any harsh light.

"You're home Sensei." Mikey said, holding his master's paw, and he was a little hurt that Splinter flinched at his touch.

Splinter lifted his other paw an tried to remove Donatello's hand from over his eyes.

"No, sensei, don't open your eyes. They're still sensitive to light."

Splinter put his other paw weakly to his side.

"Mikey, can you give him some water? Only a little though."

Mikey helped his father to drink as Donny still kept his hand over Splinters eyes as he turned the lights away from Splinters face with his other hand.

"My sons..." Splinters voice was raspy after consuming the tiny amount of liquid. "Where... Where is Raphael?"

Mikey and Donny glanced at each other.

"Did... did Raphael go to Agent Bishop?"

Donny rubbed his head, unsure of what to say. 'Raph' had gone... well, sort of.

"Well...uh..."

"He must... not go..."

"What do you mean Sensei?"

"Raphael... Must not go... Bishop... Bishop will..."

Donny gently, slowly took his hand away from Splinters eyes, desensitizing him to the light, even though his eyes remained closed.

"Sensei, what's wrong?"

But Splinter couldn't seem to say anymore.

"Master Splinter?" Mikey and Donny stared at each other in alarm.

"What does he mean Donny?"

Donny couldn't explain it. He did the only thing that he could think of.

"RAPH!"

...

Raphael replaced the bandana over his eyes. Okay, he had actually heard someone say something that time... no mind tricks this time.

He rushed back to Don and Mikey, and found them leaning over Splinter.

"What? What's happenin'?" Raph approached as fast as his shaking legs were allowing him. "He's awake?"

Don grabbed a bandage from the table next to them and tied it quickly around splinters closed eyes.

"What are you doing... my son?"

"I'm sorry, sensei; it's for your own safety. Your body has woken up before it intended to, and your eyesight isn't fully functional yet. You need to rest."

"I will rest later, my sons. I... I must talk with you."

Splinter sat up carefully with a hand from Mikey, his rib aching, but not admitting it.

"Where... Is Raphael?"

Raph gulped. "I'm here, Sensei."

Splinter reached put a delicate paw, but Raph felt too ashamed to approach his Father, which forced Donny to shove him forwards into their fathers' reach. Master Splinter felt over Raphael's head, his fingertips sliding over the blue bandana and pulling Raphael into a hug. His claws felt the Katanas resting heavily on his sons back. It must've been such a heavy weight for Raphael.

"You wear your brother's gear, my son, as he wears yours."

Raphael gently (and awkwardly) hugged his Master back, wanting to feel safe, but instead feeling as if he was hugging a part of himself that had disappeared long ago, the part of wisdom that he yearned for so that he could work this whole mess out.

"I'm glad you're okay sensei." Raph mumbled half-heartedly. "We were all... just so worried about ya."

"I was... as equally worried about you all."

It was as if Splinter could see right past the bandages that blinded him, and could see right into each of his son's souls.

"Raphael, I am glad that you... did not go."

Raph pulled out of the hug. "Why?"

"Bishop... wanted you, my son."

... Three brothers stared in shock.

"Bishop wanted Raph in particular?" Mikey scratched his head.

"...why?"

"Sensei, you should rest." Donny said suddenly, he wasn't sure that Raph should be hearing this right now; he could tell that Raph was confused and angry.

"Shut up, Donny. Let him talk. I need to know."

"The rest of us are irrelevant to Bishops plan." Splinter continued cautiously. "He wanted you Raphael."

Raph turned away. Raph struggled. Raph shook. And then Raph broke. Tears of regret and psychological pain stained the blue mask, hiding nothing from anyone anymore. He was tired of hiding, tired of being masked.

"Why me? Why? What did I do? And Leo! Why-"

"You must not... get upset Raphael. There is nothing to be done..."

"I'll get upset if I fuckin' want to!"

"Raphael!"

Raph held his breath, his head turned sharply, his eyes clamped shut. He couldn't bear to look at his Family. Not without Leo.

"Why?" Raph was small, smaller than he had ever been. "I... I don't even care what Bishop wants. Why the shell did Leo go? Why... Couldn't I go?"

Splinter sighed. "Leonardo... Made contact with me, my sons. He has not told you... but he has mastered the art of Aura Seeking. He found me... my aura... and I told him of my situation."

Splinter swayed slightly, but Donny and Mikey helped him to stay upright.

"I was the victim of a ... psychological study. Bishop is developing some sort of technology, that... somehow responds with a personality donor."

"Interesting." Donny commented, even though the moment was hardly appropriate.

"However, I did not have the personality that he wanted. I meditated, I was calm, and ... It seemed to frustrate him." The old rat shook a little, and Don suspected something had happened to Splinter at this point.

"That was why Bishop decided that he wanted Raphael. You have a strong personality, my son."

Raphael was heavyhearted. He knew that he had a strong personality, and it was an ill-tempered one. Was it strong, or just plain bad? It had caused trouble for him before, but would it now cause trouble for his family?

"That... That doesn't answer my question!" Raph growled.

"My sons... Leonardo went in Raphael's place in order to protect us all. If Bishop had been sent anyone else, they would have been destroyed. Leonardo would not let anyone else go, and he kept this a secret from you so that you would not be tempted to go yourselves. Your brother went in order to confuse Bishop, and perhaps stop his project."

"Alone? Shit, always the hero!" Raph swore, and this time his Father did not scold him. "We gotta go get Leo! I won't let him do this!"

"You cannot, Raphael." Splinter seemed at a loss for words.

"Leonardo made it... VERY clear to me... That we were not to go after him."

"What?" Raph whispered, in a strangled sort of morbid horror.

"... Leonardo does not wish to be rescued."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello hello hello! Hope everyone is awesome! What am I talking about, of course you are! Thanks so much for reviewing and everything! 3 to everyone who reads this! **

**Hmm, I had a little bit of writers block this week, but I still managed to get this out. Honestly, I know whats happening to Leo... I just havent worked out the order yet... Perhaps some clever readers will know whats going to happen...**

**Reviews are love everyone! Please review, I am open to all criticisms, comments, questions and ideas. I was stoked to have over ten reviews for the last chapter, keep em up :P**

**Alura xx**

* * *

><p>"What are ya talking about? Of course he wants to be rescued!"<p>

But Raphael and his brothers knew that his Father didn't lie, nor would he joke about this.

"Doesn't... he want to be rescued? Oh God... was it something I did?"

"No, Raphael. You did nothing wrong."

Raph shook his head, but his Father could not see that action. He knew that he had done plenty wrong.

"... Does Leo want to die?"

Splinter seemed to hesitate, which scared Raph.

"No one really truly wants to die. He does not wish to be rescued, my sons, for it would risk your own safety. He does not wish for you to risk your own lives to save his."

The brothers glanced at each other.

"Raphael... Leonardo told me to tell you..."

Raph touched his father's arm gently, making his presence known to the blinded rat. "Tell me what, Sensei?"

"He told me... that you will be able to hear his voice when you're ready."

"What does that even mean? Shit, I hate it when you guys get mysterious!"

"You can work this out Raph." Donny spoke up.

"Yeah, you can do it Raph!" said Mikey.

"Argh, shut yer traps," grumbled Raph. "We're never gonna hear Leo's voice again!"

"Raphy, you have to try to be a little more positive!" Mikey reasoned.

"Don't call me that pissy child's nickname!"

Mikey was taken back.

"Leo doesn't care! He's treating us like dogs! He barks, we do his fricken bidding! Well, I'm not following his orders anymore, I'm makin' 'em." Raph took his hand off his Fathers arm. "We're goin' after Leo!"

"Raph, we don't have a clue where he is!" Donny said.

"I DON'T CARE!" Raph thundered. "How could I live, knowing that Leo died for me?"

Splinters eyes were weeping under the bandage, and that had nothing to do with the drugs affecting his vision.

"If Leo doesn't want you guys to go, I'll go myself." Raph turned. "End of discussion."

Mikey spoke timidly. "But-"

"End of discussion!"

Raph left his remaining broken family to themselves, and went to the dojo to find a punching bag, like he should have done a while ago.

* * *

><p>"Fricken classy hospitality."<p>

Leo was shoved roughly into the large cage, but that didn't stop him from turning and landing a roundhouse kick onto one of the men that had insisted on putting him in there like he was some sort of inferior animal. He was going to make them regret not giving him enough paralysis drug, even though the blow to his head still made him a little woozy so he couldn't hit as many of the men as he would have liked.

He was angry, and not just because he was trying to act like Raph. He was angry because he had no idea if his family was safe, or if Raph and the others had found Splinter. But most of all, he was angry with himself. Had he been too harsh, too unclear of his intentions to justify his actions to his brothers?

Leo slammed a fist against the metal bars as they slammed the cage door behind him, causing them to ring with an unpleasant metallic sound throughout the empty room as the men left. A thought crossed Leo's mind.

_"Maybe... If they hate me... They won't miss me as much..."_

Leo sighed glumly to himself, plonking himself down against the back of the cage. Even if that was true, it wouldn't stop him from missing his family. After all, they were the reason he was doing this, he was doing it so they wouldn't have to.

'Raphael' glanced at the single guard who was standing about 20 meters away at the door of the room, holding an enormous gun.

"Compensating for somethin'?" Leo grinned at the guard, before the guard sneered at him in an almost frightened way. Leo stretched, making himself at home and lying back in the bare cage.

"Hey!" he called to the guard. "Can I have a punchin' bag ta play with? That way I won't have to pummel ya head in to make up for lost training time."

The guard didn't respond at all, he just continued to stare.

"What?" Leo crossed his arms, frowning. "Aint ya ever seen a huge turtle before?"

"N-No."

As Leo looked closer at the guard, he realized that he was in fact sort of young. Well, he couldn't have been over 30 anyway. His face was unshaven, with a rogue look to it, and he had a scar running from the corner of his right eye to the middle of his cheek. Yet his eyes were old, as if he had seen too much. Maybe he was just another victim here, a victim of injustice or of misunderstanding.

Leo sat up and stared at him.

"What's ya name?"

The guard stared back firmly. "I'm not authorized to communicate."

"Yeah, yeah." Leo lay back down. "Except to tell me that ya can't communicate, I know the drill."

Leo had lived with Raph for more than a decade, and he knew that was how he would respond to that sort of answer. However, Leo was hoping that he knew his brother well enough to stay in 'character' when Bishop came calling. If he couldn't, it would most certainly cost him his life, and the lives of his family.

"Communicate while ya can, pal." Leo clenched his fists, turning inward. "You'll regret it if ya don't."

…

A red light above the door flashed brightly, and whiteness enveloped the darkness as the door opened and Bishop entered. Leo stood immediately, and bared his teeth in a snarl as Bishop walked right up to the cage.

"Save your temper, Raphael. You'll need it for later."

Leo narrowed his eyes.

"Whad'ya mean?"

"You don't know? Well, I guess I'd better fill you in." Bishop grinned, hands in pockets, staring over his dark glasses at the turtle. "It's proper practice for a psychologist to tell his patients what they are going to do within the experiment."

"You're no psychologist; you're just a freakin' psycho."

"But I guess Splinter wouldn't have been able to tell you what happened." Bishop continued, oblivious to 'Raphs' input.

"You bastard!" Leo launched himself at the bars, crashing into them in true ninja style in an attempt to strike the agent, and stared Leo at the demon before him. "What... did you do... to my Father?"

Bishop smiled to himself, loving the rage that the red turtle was displaying.

"Nothing. He was actually completely useless for this project."

'Raphs' snarl melted away into a look of raging confusion. "What?"

"The state of unconsciousness you saw him in was induced by a drug that will most likely wear off in a few days. It made him temporarily blind, so that he can't tell your brothers where he was."

"Most likely wear off?"

"I can't guarantee that he won't lose his eyesight completely."

On the outside Leo growled, but he was calm inside. His Father was a Ninja master, and losing his eyesight would not affect his fighting at all, he would simply use his other senses, as he had once taught Leo. Sound, touch and smell were just as important as sight.

"Cut to the chase, psycho. What's this gotta do with me?"

"Personality influenced machines," Bishop began to lecture, "Are the latest advances in technology in this era, and most people don't even realise it. If you think about it, they are all around the human world. With the simple personalization of a phone or iPod, individuals make their contraptions a part of them."

"But that's just personalizing." 'Raph' remarked. "The devices themselves aint personality influenced."

"You think so?" Bishop grinned. "Music and applications placed on an iPod, messages and ringtones on a phone. Here I am experimenting with these sorts of concepts."

"You're gonna make me listen to your playlist to get me to like you? Fat chance."

"Your master is much smarter than you, what a shame it doesn't run in the family."

Leo narrowed his eyes, and they became aggressive slits within the sea of red mask.

"We have already made the machines, but in their present state, that are simply shells. They require a power source. A source of personality. That way, they will be the ideal soldiers."

"But you're giving these machines personalities? Won't that make 'em weaker?"

"It would make them weaker if they had just anyone's personality. But they will be strong, because they will have yours."

_What?_

"... Come again?"

"Your aggression and your willingness to protect those who are dear to you make you a perfect candidate."

_Oh shit_. Raph, this temper was bound to get you into trouble one day!

"How do you know that I won't manipulate these machines against ya?"

"You fool. They will have your personality, but you won't be able to control them at all. They will follow my orders, but they will be like you. The ultimate soldiers." Bishop turned and began to walk out. "It's much easier than getting one Raphael to fight for us anyway. Why have one when you can have many?"

Bishop did not see the small droplets of cold sweat that had broken put across Leo's forehead, even though the turtle maintained the angry snarl that was his mask. What had he gotten himself into? As soon as Bishop tried to use his personality, would he discover that he wasn't Raph?

"Be sure to get some rest, Raphael." The guard entered in a key code allowing the door to open for the Agent. "We begin the process of personality transfer in a few days." The Agent stopped and whispered to the guard. "We need him alive and unharmed, if possible. Do not shoot him."

The guard nodded with a sense of duty, and Bishop nodded back. "Keep me updated on his condition."

The door slid shut, leaving the room in darkness again, with naught but the guard and the trembling turtle. He considered seeking Splinters aura, or Raphs, but it would look suspicious if he did as it was not something that Raph would do. He would have to wait for them to find him.

_I miss you so much already, my brothers..._

* * *

><p>Donny took out the needle. He had finally been able to get enough fluids into Splinter to do a blood test, even though the bandage still remained over his eyes.<p>

"You'll be fine, sensei." He remarked. "There's nothing permanent in your bloodstream, and your blood pressure is fine."

Splinter smiled. "Thank you my son."

Mikey smiled a little. "Sensei..."

"Yes, Michelangelo?"

Mikey shifted. "What exactly happened to you? What did they do?"

Donny slapped Mikey over the back of the head, staring at him in an _'I told you not to ask him that'_ kind of way.

"Ow!" Mikey complained.

"Donatello, do not hit your brother for asking a simple question! Ten flips now!"

"But-"

"Now!"

Donny bowed to his sensei, and proceeded to do ten flips.

Splinter smiled in Mikey's direction. "I've still got it."

"You sure do sensei." Mikey smiled.

"Please Michelangelo, get Raphael and bring him here. We should all talk together now."

Mikey bowed to his blinded master and went to get 'Leo'.

Donny finished his flips, but did not look at his Father as he went to him.

"Donatello," Splinter laid a paw on his sons arm. "I sense your inner frustration. You should not be blaming yourself for my condition."

"What-"

"I will be fine."

"Well yes, physically, but-"

"My mind is strong, my son. I will heal with time. I will not have nightmares."

"You can't promise that."

Splinter ran an old paw over his sons head. "You have done all that you can for me and your brothers. Do not continue to blame yourself."

"I... I just know that I could have done more to help, and I can't believe that I didn't... I couldn't..."

Donny lowered his head. "I couldn't help Leo."

Splinter was solemn. "He knows what he is doing, my son."

"We have to get him home."

Splinter nodded. "We will all be here together again Donatello."

"How do you know?"

"You know where he is, my son. You can find him. Leo told me that."

Donny was confused. "How-"

Mikey entered dragging Raph in, and Raph swiped at his brother aggressively. Obviously Raph hadn't spent enough time with his beloved punching bag.

"We're all gonna talk now Raphy!"

"Get yer mitts off me!"

Mikey dropped Raph inelegantly on the floor, and Raph flipped up with a smooth ninjitsu move and crossed his arms.

"This had better be good." He grumbled. "What's up knuckleheads?"

"You were right, Raphael. We must find Leonardo, or he will be killed. We cannot let this happen."

"Well, duh!" Raph remarked. "But brainiac over there's right, we dunno where he is, and we don't have a clue where to start."

"I can tell you where I think I was." Splinter said. "I do not know where exactly, but I think that I was in the mountains."

"How do ya know?"

"It was cold, and I could smell snow an ice. While I was imprisoned, I could hear heaters. It must have been cold outside."

"The mountain ranges? Those are south of here."

Donny leapt at the computer and brought up Google maps. He zoomed in other ranges, and looked at the key. "It would make sense that Bishop has a research centre there. There's nothing around for miles. If he was holding prisoners there and they escaped..."

Donny stopped, but everyone knew what he was thinking. If someone escaped, they wouldn't make it through the torturous mountains and live to tell the tale.

"The big question is where Bishop's Base is." Donny continued to zoom in. "It could be anywhere. Master Splinter, do you know how long you were travelling for?"

"I'm sorry, my sons. I was unaware of my surroundings during my transportation."

Donny shook his head, putting his face in his hands. If only he had...

"Eureka!" Donny stood excitedly, knocking his chair over and almost capsizing the computer. "I've got it!"

"What is it Donny?" Mikey sounded just as excited, even though he had no idea what he was talking about.

Don rammed into Raph in a flash and flipped him onto his side, pinning him to the ground.

"Don! What the shell?" Raph struggled angrily under his brothers' grip.

"Hold still Raph!" Don poked Raph in the side, examining the skin between his back and shell carefully.

"Don!" Raph wasn't about to admit it, but he was actually a bit ticklish, and Don seemed to be unaware of this but dangerously close to finding out. Mikey was trying not to laugh at the sight as Splinter sat, confused yet slightly amused by the commotion.

"I didn't stab you Raph!" Donny yelled happily. "It wasn't you!"

Raph struggled harder. "Don, ya crazy! GET OFF!"

Raph managed to get his arms free and he punched Donny hard across the face, knocking his brother down and pinning his down in return. Donny's eyes crossed before focusing on Raph, who was sitting on top of him. Donny smiled broadly at him.

"What is it Donny?" Raph was almost hysterical.

"We can find Leo!" Donny exclaimed. "He's got a tracker on him!"

"What? How?"

"When Leo drugged me," Donny explained, "I was holding a tracking chip with a pair of tweezers at the time, and I accidently drove it into his side. He's got a tracker under his shell Raph! I thought it might have been you I stabbed, cos Leo was dressed as you, but it wasn't you so it must have been Leo!"

Raph stared dumbly at his brother, and then punched him hard.

"You stabbed Leo?"

Mikey grabbed Raph and pulled him off Don before things started to get out of hand.

"But Raph, it means that we will know where he is!" Mikey said.

"What if you damaged this chip when ya stabbed him?" Raph thundered. "What if it doesn't work?"

"We can't know that until we try to track him." Donny said. "Will you at least me to try Raph?"

Raph tried to calm down, and then nodded. "…Sure, I guess."

Donny turned to his computer screen, then hesitated.

"What is it Don?"

"What if I did damage it?"

"It'll be okay, Donny."

"No." Donny said. "If I did damage it... Bishop might be able to detect it if we try to track it."

Raph looked at Mikey and Splinter. They both looked worried.

"There is another way to find him, my sons." Splinter spoke. "You can find his aura. You can make contact with Leonardo, and sense where he is."

"Hey, that's not a bad idea." Donny nodded.

"There is only one problem." Splinter sighed. "I am in no condition to seek Leonardo's aura at present."

Donny closed his eyes. "I will heal with time," Splinter had said, and at the moment that looked like the only way he would heal. Time was a good thing, but bad at the same time. It could heal or hurt.

"Can't one of us do it then?" Asked Raph.

"It takes a long time to learn how to seek an aura, my son."

"How long?"

"Days. Perhaps weeks."

"Dammit!"

The turtles were faced with a decision. Either use the tracker and risk it being found under Leo's skin (who knows what Bishop would do to him if he found out!), or seek his aura, which could take weeks. How long would Leo last?

Hold on Leo…

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, obviously I'm not American... I'm making up the geography here :) Anyway, please review! I am absolutley LOVING the response to this story! I hope its making you all think... :P<strong>

**Alura xx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! So sorry that I didnt update last week, I got REALLY bogged down with school and whatnot :/ Anyway, heres a chapter... so yeah. Enjoy! And pretty, pretty please review :) Give me some motivation/ ideas! :P **

**Alura xx**

* * *

><p>"Don..." Raph started. "How come the tracker would only be found if we try to find it? I mean, can't ya-"<p>

"The chip would emit a high frequency signal which would then be located by this device." Don held up a small flat object, not bothering to explain what it was. "But Bishop could detect that signal if the chip is damaged."

"So... As long as we don't look for Leo by using the tracker... Leo's safe... Sort of."

Don grimaced. "Well, I don't think Bishop will exactly hurt him."

Raph and Mikey shot Don a look that said 'have you met that man?'.

Donny shuffled his feet. "What I meant was, I don't think he'll do Leo any sort of serious harm, well, as long as he thinks that he's Raph. Why would he seriously harm the specimen that he wanted so desperately?"

"Good point." Mikey nodded.

"What if Leo can't keep this act up?" Raph looked at his feet. "It... Can be tough dealing with a personality like mine."

Don put a hand on Raphs shoulder. "If anyone can keep it up then its Leo. Once he puts his mind to it, he can do anything."

Raph gently shrugged Dons hand off. "I wish I could say the same. I mean, it's like Leo wants me ta figure out his plan, but he hasn't left me any clues!"

"Solving a jigsaw without the pieces is impossible my sons." Splinter said. "You must search for the pieces, Raphael. They will fit together eventually."

"Damnit!" Raph clenched his fists. "'Eventually' might be too late!"

"That's the decision we have to make, Raph." Mikey stood up, suddenly aging and seemingly growing in maturity. "We take our time and play it safe with the aura seeking, or we track Leo with the tracker and risk the trackers discovery."

Everyone stared at Mikey. Mikey smiled and looked at his feet. Everyone knew that he just wanted to sound smart, even though he was absolutely right. Raph held back a smile as Donny patted his brother affectionately on the head.

"Michelangelo speaks the truth." Splinter nodded.

"What do you think Splinter?" Raph asked, at a total loss.

Splinter sighed. "I think that this decision is up to you, Raphael."

"Wha?" Raph said, not able to process any words into a reasonable argument at that point.

"Raphael, it is evident that Leo wants you to do something. But what that decision is, must be your choice."

Raph thought back to all those times where he had scolded Leo for being a bad leader. Now he understood what Leo had gone through. Every day. Being leader was tough, and now that Raph seemed to have this responsibility, there was no way he wanted it. No way. If Leo ever got back... No... WHEN Leo got back, Raph was going to say sorry for all those trials and tribulations. There were so many apologies that Leo owed Raph... Would he ever get the chance to tell Leo that he was sorry?

Raph thought back to Splinters last sentence. "Decision... Must be your choice..."

Hang on... Was Raphael the leader now? Splinter and his brothers regarded him as the decision maker at the moment. No. NO! He refused to replace Leo!

Raph began to walk out, feel overwhelmed once again. "Lemme... Lemme think about it."

"Raphael."

"Please sensei." Raph raised a shaking hand. "Just... Lemme think about it."

Raph left the room, but he did not go back to the dojo, or his messy bedroom. He went to Leo's room, entered the darkness of the empty space, and closed the door softly behind him.

* * *

><p>It had been a while since 'Raph' had been imprisoned. The giant turtle appeared anxious, perhaps afraid of what was going to happen to him, but he still kept up the macho man personality, even poking fun at the guard when he could. A single guard? Nah there must be more outside, Bishop wouldn't leave just one to guard him. Leo had observed that there was a guard rotation, every hour or so, but the one with the scar was the one who was in the room the most. He was the only one that Leo spoke around. The other two had looked like they would have enjoyed shooting the mutant in the cage, so Leo did well to stay silent around them.<p>

Leo swayed on his feet, propping himself up with an arm against the cold iron bars. His head ached, the back of it still covered with dry blood from where he'd been knocked out in the helicopter.

He hadn't touched the food he'd been left, he didn't trust it. He couldn't be bothered anyway, maybe his weakened state would affect Bishops machines, but then again, maybe that was just wishful thinking on Leo's part. He felt that he didn't require his strength at that time; it wasn't like he was planning on escaping. He had to stay in this living hell… for his family.

He had drank a little of the water, but had used the rest to try to clear up his head before it became infected. Unfortunately it hadn't done much to help.

It didn't help that he had a pain in his side from where Donny had scraped him with the tweezers. He hoped that Donny hadn't accidently poked anything into him, but he felt something in his side all the same. Imagination? Maybe...

The guard stood and watched the giant turtle, wondering if he should alert Bishop of its condition. But if he did call Bishop, who knows what kind of drugs he would pump through the reptile's system in order to keep him alive. The guard thought better of it.

"Hey," the guard called timidly.

"Wassup?" Leo replied weakly.

"...you okay, turtle?"

"The name's Raph." said Leo, and then collapsed solidly against the iron bars of the cage.

The guard approached cautiously, not sure if 'Raphael' was pretending. He saw Leo tremble as he clung to cage with clammy green fingers. The guard pointed his gun as the turtle looked at him.

"It's not like I'm gonna attack ya, dude." 'Raph' reasoned.

The guard narrowed his eyes, and then slowly lowered his weapon.

"You in pain, turtle?"

Leo sank lower against the bars, almost angrily. "What happened to ya communication shit? Ya allowed talkin' now?"

The guard knelt by the cage. "I'll talk to who I want when I want."

Leo narrowed his eyes, the eyes that were so weary. "Then report to the Agent right?" Leo positioned his shell against the bars, his head tilted to one shoulder, his back to the guard.

The guard saw the dry blood on the back of his prisoner's head, and took out a small bottle of brown iodine, and handed it through the bars along with a small bandage and a bottle of water.

"Here."

Leo weakly accepted the gifts. "... Won't ya get in trouble for this?"

The guard shrugged. "Not if you don't tell anybody."

Leo smiled weakly and began to apply the iodine to the bandage, and then to his side. He drank half of the water and handed it at the iodine bottle back, and the guard tucked them away.

"So," Leo tied the bandage over his head wound, and disguised it with the red bandana that most certainly wasn't his. "... Now that ya respondin' ta what I'm sayin', what's ya name?"

The guard seemed hesitant. "... Samuel Miller."

"Thank you, Samuel Miller."

Samuel smiled a little, and then frowned.

"Listen here turtle."

"...Raphael."

"Listen Raphael. They're going to come for you soon, within the next few days." The guard stood. "Trust me when I say that you have to do what they want..."

"Why should I co-operate?"

"It'll cost you your sanity if you don't."

Leo's eyes widened.

"Listen while there's no surveillance." Samuel spoke against the harshness of the soldier that he had become, his talk going against all his regulations and rules. "Just do what they say."

The guard composed himself and returned to his hardened neutral expression. "I've seen so many of them go mad."

"Who?"

"Them. The ones like you. The potentials for the machine."

The guard returned to his spot, and didn't say anymore. Leo took a deep breath, and then reluctantly ate some of the food he'd been left. If what Samuel had said was right... He would need every little bit of his strength.

* * *

><p>Two long days had passed since Donny had declared the tracker on Leo. Splinter was healing fine on a strict diet of soup and medication prescribed by Donatello, although his eyes were still sensitive to light, and Donny was taking no chances. Much to Mikey's amusement, Splinter had been able to get up and walk around without bumping into anything. Mikey had tried it with different results.<p>

Among themselves, the two brothers and their sensei, without Raph, had tried to decide whether to find Leo by tracker or aura. But they couldn't come up with a decision. Donny was almost tempted to just activate the tracker, but he didn't want to make any rash moves.

Finally, Splinter had shaken his head and concluded that Raphael alone should be the one to choose.

Raph had kept very much to himself in the past few days. Locked in Leo's room, no one could convince him to come out. Donny had slipped food into the room, but otherwise Raph would not let anyone near him while he was thinking.

Finally Raphael had come to a decision. He came out of Leo's room, still wearing Leo's gear. The swords were sheathed neatly, but the straps holding them up seemed to be digging into his strong shoulders. The blue mask looked a little frayed at the edges, like a child's toy that had been given too much affection. He was pale, and his dark emerald skin was looking a little worse for wear.

"Geez Raph." Mikey exclaimed as he saw Raph exit Leo's room shakily. "You okay bro?"

Raph nodded. "I'm okay dude."

Mikey smiled a little, but didn't believe him for a second.

"C'mon Raph," Mikey gently took his brothers' arm and led him to Splinter.

To Raph's surprise, Splinter was in his meditation room. The old Rat had positioned himself on the mat, meditating almost with elegance. If it hadn't been for the bandage over his eyes, he would have looked perfectly normal. Donny was meditating with him, but his concentration broke when Raphael and Mikey entered the room.

"Raph, you look awful!" Donny stood. "You okay?"

"I dunno."

Raph and Mikey sat as Splinter finished meditating.

"You're lookin' much better sensei." Raph said.

"You are not well, Raphael." Splinter replied. "Would you care to explain your sickness to us?"

Raph swallowed hard. There was not much point in hiding his emotions anymore, but his spirit had tried to remain strong.

"...Heartbreak, sensei."

Splinter nodded. "We all feel this sickness, my son."

"I jus' can't have a whole life without Leo here. We're family. I miss him too damn much." Raph grumped with a hint of guilt in his voice. "And that's why I've decided. We're... We're gonna find Leo with the aura seeking."

Don shot Raph a hurt look.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Don." said Raph. "I trust ya contraptions to the end of the earth, but... I dunno... There's something about this aura seekin' that could work."

Donny swallowed, disappointed with himself.

"It's okay, Raph. I mean, the aura seeking is safer, and I guess you can't always rely on technology."

Raph sighed. Argh, he hated spilling emotions over, but he didn't feel as if he had any other choice, he couldn't find any other words to describe what he felt over the last few days.

"It's just... Over the last few days, I felt somethin'. I dunno what it is. It was sorta like..." Raph lowered his head.

"Please continue to explain, Raphael." Splinter encouraged. "Otherwise we cannot begin to understand."

"I think I mighta been feeling what Leo was feelin'."

"Wha?" Mikey asked.

Raph grumbled to himself. "It sounds so damn stupid when I say it out loud!"

"What do you mean Raph?" asked a curious Donny.

"It was sorta like feelin' emotions and shit that wasn't my own." Raph rubbed his head. "A bit like when your drunk and-"

"Raphael!" Splinter scolded.

"What did you feel Raphy?" asked Mikey.

"At first I felt kinda anxious, but I thought that it was just me. And then it was like I was talkin' ta someone... only I wasn't."

"And you think that these are Leo's emotions, my son?"

"Well, I thought it mighta been, cos I know they weren't mine." Raph sighed. "I mean, I don't feel anything at the moment, but as soon as I go into Leo's room, while I'm wearin' Leo's stuff, I feel somethin' else there."

Raph looked up. "That's why I thought the aura seekin' would work. Maybe there's already a connection there. And it'll be safer, and maybe even quicker than the tracker." Raph glanced at Donny. "No offence, dude." Don nodded, accepting the apology.

"Have there been any other feelings like this, Raphael?" Splinter asked.

"Well, I thought he yelled at me once, but I probably just imagined that."

"This sort of thing is not left to imagination, my son." Splinter breathed. "I want you all to close your eyes and concentrate, my sons. I will guide you through the aura seeking."

* * *

><p>Leonardo had regained his strength, his wounds healing well, but Samuel still saw him remain anxious. Leo paced, and meditated, but nothing calmed him. What were these machines? What were they going to be used for? What if Bishop discovered that he wasn't the hot head, but the 'fearless' leader, who was actually… well… afraid?<p>

The door slid open, and Leonardo saw the guard flinch slightly as Bishop came in accompanied by two burley guards.

"It's time for the first experiment, Raphael."

Bishop grinned in a horrid way as the guards opened the cage doors.

**...**

"Focus your minds, my sons. Think of your brother, and all that you know of him. This is the key to finding Leonardo."

Michelangelo focused his mind. Donatello focused his mind.

Raphael focused his mind, but also his heart. His strong, shattered heart, reaching out to find his brother with all of its strength.

**...**

Leo was shoved in the shell with the gun, and he felt the barrels poised to shoot him if he even dared think about trying to escape. They led him past a room that had a clear glass wall, and saw within some of the machines, as if they were about to be given a power source. They looked empty. And, to Leo's horror, they looked like giant versions of Raph! They were large, with a metallic power to them, each with a large flat disk on their backs, and there was a band of red above and below the 'eyes' of each machine.

Oh Raph... This temper of yours... What evil has it created?

The guards guided Leo into a sealed room, and forced the struggling turtle into a chair. Leo threw all of the insults he knew at them, but they had no impact. They were soldiers, bred for the job.

Bishop placed a metallic ring over Leos head, and the guards strapped him down. Leo kicked one of them over, but the other caught his foot and began to twist it. Leo cried out in pain.

"Please don't maim him," sighed Bishop. "I need him relatively intact."

The guard let go and finished strapping Leo down.

"What are ya doin', you freakin' Nutter?" Leo was alarmed, as he had no idea what to expect. These contraptions that surrounded him were unfamiliar, and not at all what he was expecting from the Agent.

"You'll see in a few minutes. Beginning experimental mind reality in two minutes."

**...**

"I can feel somethin'."

"Do not break concentration, Raphael. Hold onto it."

Raph did so. He was afraid to let go. Afraid to let go because he could feel that Leo was afraid. Leo, don't be scared, I'm with you!

Mikey sighed, breaking his concentration and unfolding from his meditation position. Donatello did the same, he couldn't seem to feel anything, and it made him feel useless. Donny was familiar with technology and gadgets, but spirits and auras? Not so much.

Both brothers stared at the other two. Splinter and Raphael were still sitting in heavy concentration. A cold sweat had broken across Raphs brow, and his breathing was shaky. Donny was about to go to Raph when Splinter raised a hand, indicating for him to stay seated. Raph was close to Leo it appeared, and Splinter knew it. If something broke his concentration...

"Raphael," Splinter spoke in a low whisper and began to guide Raph gently through the apparent realm of minds. "Speak with him. Speak to your brother. You will hear his voice if you have made the connection."

**...**

"In a few minutes your mind will enter another dimension, where it will be linked to the machines. Your thoughts will become their actions. When your mind is through happens, you must fight all the enemies you see. What you are fighting may not be real to your body, but it is still real to your mind." Bishop explained. "Therefore, it can still hurt you."

"How the shell does that work?" Leo struggled angrily against his bonds.

"It is very much like 'The Matrix'. Mind reality. Your mind is a stream of consciousness Raphael. It can be transported from place to place." Bishop frowned. "Or can your tiny reptilian mind not comprehend that sort of thinking?"

Leo snarled. He had seen "The Matrix", but that was a while ago, and he had only done so because of the fight scenes. He wouldn't have been able to listen to the movie anyway. Mikey was always there yelling something like 'Ninja kick the damn bad guy!' and spitting mouthfuls of popcorn everywhere. Oh god, Leo missed Mikey so much! His little bro...

"Initiating mind trial in 3..."

Leo missed Donny as well. Where was Donny's genius when he needed it?

"...2..."

But most of all, Leo found himself missing the hot headed Raphael.

Suddenly, Leo shuddered slightly and closed his eyes. He could feel an aura! But it wasn't Splinter... "Who was it?" He thought. It was...

**...**

"Raph?"

Raph shuddered, and his mind pounded. But that didn't matter, it was-

"...Leo! Is that you?"

Raph had spoken aloud, even though he hadn't meant to. The other held their breath, afraid that the slightest movement could break Raphs concentration.

"Leo, you okay?"

Raphs mind quavered, and he felt Leo's genuine terror.

"Raph, I-"

**...**

"...1, initiating mind link. Machines online." Bishop threw a switch, and a light fizzed along the wire to the circle of metal placed over Leo's head and connected his mind to the first of the machines.

Leo screamed.

And Raph screamed with him.

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><p><strong>*Overly dramatic gasp*... review? :P Or should I just leave it like this? Ooh, thats evil of me. No, I promise I will continue this story; I want it finished as much as most of you do! Please review :P<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone! Sorry, I'm getting behind with my updating- my fault, sorry! Anyway, here's another chapter... you might just kill me for this one. **

**Oh, and thanks to my reviewers for the last chapter! dondena (thanks for reviewing! That was sort of where I got the idea from :P Its a good episode, full of potential), Bethlovesall (Thank you so much :) and... I will probably try to make more cliffy's :P) and Rose Black Dragon (Wow, you are amazing, you know that? I love how you always leave a super epic long detailed review! Its the one that I always hang out for :) Thank you so much!)**

**So, please leave a review :) Not my best chapter, but still... please review :)**

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><p>As Leo's scream subsided, he felt his eyes clamped shut tightly, his face scrunched in pain. Stop it, stop! Leo couldn't bear it! It was as if he had been plugged into a power board that was draining him of his sanity. His head felt like it was on fire, and he was genuinely frightened. But he was even more terrified to open his eyes. Remember your family, Leo. Your father, your brothers would want you to stay strong. Yes, stay strong, and face your fears! He remembered something that Splinter had said to him.<p>

"Face your fears, my son," he had said. "For your fear will always face toward you, no matter how many times you turn your shell to it."

"Yeah, be fearless Leo." Raph had said sarcastically. "That's a good name for ya, Fearless."

And the name had stuck. Leo vaguely wondered how Raph would feel if he knew that the Fearless leader was actually... Well, afraid?

Open your eyes, Leo, he thought to himself. Do it for your family. Your brothers and your father. Do this for them, and face the unknown!

Leo forced his eyes open, and he found his vision surrounded by red, but not like it had been when he was wearing Raph's bandana. It was more like a glow, a red light or a red film across his vision. Leo looked down on himself, and held back another scream. As he raised his arms to his face, his hands scraped along his torso, causing a metallic scraping sound to grind at his ears. He wasn't a turtle anymore. He was a metallic beast!

Leo caught his reflection on the glass of the room that he was in. He was in the room that he had seen one of the 'Raph' machines in, and then he realized. His mind had been transported into a different reality. His mind was actually inside that of the Raph machines! Oh no... Was Bishop now able to tell that he wasn't the hothead Raphael, but the "Fearless" leader Leonardo?

Leo swallowed back the panic that he felt swell inside him, and he turned clumsily on his heavy feet. He calmed his aching mind, knowing that the worst thing that he could do was panic. He concentrated on the facts. Bishop had managed to get his mind here, so there must have been a way to get back to his body somehow.

Leo got ready to channel his mind back through the realm of minds back to his own body, when he heard a yell. He was terrified that he couldn't seem to move very fast, unlike in his normal body. It was like one of those bad dreams where you can't move! Leo managed to turn, and he saw the source of the yell. Three turtles. Three turtles and a rat, surrounded by various hideous beasts, and they were all fighting for their lives.

"Oh my god," thought Leo. "Bishop has them too? That's my family!"

All of a sudden, it didn't matter about getting his mind back to his real body. All that mattered now was protecting his family, those who were dear to him. Leo felt the rage channel through the machine, as if his rage was the source of its power.

"Get away... FROM MY FAMILY!"

With massive will and strength, he barrelled into the creatures, knocking them away from the fighting turtles. He punched them with his huge robotic hands, pummelling them to the ground, and he even picked one up and hurled it against the wall, and it fell to the floor with a crunch. However, the Raph machine body of his was not easy to manoeuvre. Even though it was strong, it was big and slow, and Leo didn't fight very well when he was slow. After all, he's a ninja! Faster than light, quick as the shadow of night. This machine was the total opposite. It was huge, slow, and certainly not at all stealthy, much to Leo's annoyance.

A massive drooling creature with large claws and a tail knocked the back of Leo's knees. Leo cried out in pain, feeling the impact, and he fell, sending the machine down to the floor, landing on the flat metal disk of a back. The air was knocked out of Leo as he sent the turtles scattering. The creature landed on his chest, pinning his torso down. Leo looked to his brothers and his master, hoping that they were safe. Stupid monster, get off!

Leo saw Donny, his purple bandanas fluttering around him wildly as he took out a few monsters with his Bo staff, and the orange of Mikey's bandana as he swirled his 'chucks. Splinter was fighting with seemingly little effort, as he always did, but Leo's attention was suddenly drawn to Raph.

Raphael, who was wearing... His red bandana... And was fighting using his Sais.

Leo made the connection. This wasn't real; it was all in his mind. These turtles and the rat weren't his family; they were his mental projections of them! Bishop must have done something, giving him some sort of stimulation to see his family, so he would have a reason to fight in the machine body. But that would mean that they were Leos visions of his family. He always thought of Raph as wearing the red bandana. But at that moment, LEO was wearing that red bandana, back on his real body. So... If Bishop really had captured his family, Raph would still be wearing the blue bandana. Wouldn't he?

Leo looked away from the turtles and back to the monster on his chest. Surely Raph wouldn't change clothes? No. Would he? Leo shook that thought from his mind. He knew Raph too well, and he knew that Raph wouldn't take off the gear. It would be bothering him, and when something bothers Raphael, he tries to work out its purpose. Leo knew that his brother was clever, even if Raph left the genius to Donny most of the time. The monster snarled in Leo's face and raised a claw, ready to deliver a killing strike. Leo hoped that he knew his brother well enough. H hoped his theory was right.

Please Raph... Do the right thing... I trust you that much...

* * *

><p>"RAPH!"<p>

Donny leapt up and rushed to Raph's side along with Splinter and Mikey. Raph was clutching his head with both hands, his scream still ringing in their ears, his face scrunched in pain, hunched over in his meditation position.

"Sensei, what's happening to him?"

Splinter went to remove his bandage from over his eyes, but Donny clamped a hand over his eyes.

"Don't Father! Your eyes may not be ready yet!"

"It cannot be helped Donatello."

Splinter tore the bandage from his eyes and squinted at his now blue-clad son, laying a paw gently on his forehead.

"It appears that Raphael made the connection."

"Why is it hurting him?" Mikey asked worriedly.

"I do not think..." Splinter trailed off.

"What sensei?"

"Perhaps Leonardo is blocking him out, and therefore Raphael's stream of consciousness has to search for another way to Leonardo."

"Why would Leo block him out?"

"Leo..." Raph moaned. "Where... Are you?"

Raph fell onto his side into a foetal position, wrapping his arms tight around his head. Donny caught him and checked his brother's vital signs.

"That's it." Donny stood. "Mikey, get Raph some damp face washers. I'm calling Leatherhead."

And that was how they knew the situation was at its worse. They had all made a pact never to contact Leatherhead about Bishop unless absolutely necessary, due to the trauma that the reptile had suffered and that they did not wish to re awaken.

But there were more horrors in Raphs mind than Leatherhead could ever imagine. It was a reality that Raph couldn't escape from. It was the world of his nightmares.

* * *

><p>Raph could watch Leo, much to his horror. It was horrible, like a hallucination, as Raph found himself staring at the machine that he knew was Leo, yet the machine was a horrible, mixed up version of himself. What evil has Raph inspired? The body of his brother was safe for now, but Leo's mind was shoved in this machine.<p>

"Leo!" Raph shouted. "Can ya hear me?"

His head ached incredibly, and he felt a bit 'out of it', like he had when he had been in Leos room trying to make the connection.

"Leo!"

The machine lumbered around, unaware and not noticing Raphs existence.

"Fearless, stop bein' an idiot! We're trying to help ya! Tell me where you are!"

Raph looked down at himself in a moment of dizziness that suddenly enveloped him. He had no body. It was as if his consciousness was just floating there in the room. Like he was a ghost. Maybe that was why Leo couldn't see him! Then again, maybe Leo was just blocking him out.

Raph could feel his family calling his name, but he couldn't answer them. He had a duty, as all of his brothers' do, to protect his family. He was going to stay with Leo for as long as he could, as long as Leo needed him. He swayed, concentrating on Leo, yet feeling sick at the same time. He saw Leo... What was wrong with Raph? He ached, his body, his head, his heart, all over. Maybe his mind didn't connect to Leos properly, like a dodgy Internet connection. But he was there, with Leo, in this realm of minds... What the shell?

Leo's machine body suddenly ran forward, as if to strike an invisible enemy. Was it invisible, or could Raph just not see it? Leo swung his arms and struck his invisible targets, but he toppled as the knees of the machine gave away.

"Leo! Get up! Fight 'em!" Raph tried to move towards Leo, to help him in his unseen struggle, but found that he couldn't move.

"It's like a freakin' nightmare," thought Raph. He had experienced those sorts of dreams before, the ones where you can't move when you so desperately need to. It wasn't like Raph to stay still, in dreams or reality. Move Raph, move!

Raph pushed himself to move, and took a few steps, but felt a hand on his non-existent shoulder. He immediately sensed Splinter, even though he couldn't see him. He was just another consciousness floating with him in this realm.

"We must not be here, Raphael."

"But-"

"Leonardo will be okay for now, but we cannot remain here while he is in this state."

"I'm not leavin' him Sensei!" Raph pleaded.

"You must Raphael! This is not the realm of minds you seek. You must seek another time to contact Leonardo; he cannot answer you like this."

Raph look from his Sensei back to Leo, and saw that the machine was, well, looking at him. Raph could almost feel Leo's eyes, pleading for help, staring at him through the red light.

"That should be me Splinter!" Raph shouted at the machine, a tear of frustration escaping from his eye. "Leo shouldn't even be here! It's my fault!"

"It is not your fault Raph." Splinter heard Leo's voice, but couldn't find him. "Why can we not find you, my son?" Splinter tried to get through to Leonardo, but felt himself weakening.

"Get out of here." Leo's voice grew stern, maintaining the authority of the leader that he was. Raph fell forwards as the weight on his mind was overwhelmed, and the lights on the robots eyes was suddenly smashed in by some invisible force. Leo's invisible enemy had defeated the machine. Defeated his son.

* * *

><p>Splinter breathed sharply as he returned from the realm with Raph. He should not have gone; his mind still ached whenever he entered that reality ever since Bishop had forced him there, but he had to get Raphael out, he was putting his own sanity in danger. Relieved to be back in his own body, he opened his eyes to see a dark room, but realized that the room was not in fact dark. They were all still on the meditation mat, but Splinter found himself wearing a pair of Mikey's shades! He put a puzzled paw to his sunglasses, and then glared at Mikey, who was sitting nearby with face washers, one of them clamped to Raphs perspiring forehead.<p>

"Sorry sensei." Mikey shrugged. "I didn't want you to hurt your eyes."

Splinter smiled apologetically at his son. He was so proud of all of them, especially since they had grown this capacity to protect each other from even the smallest harms.

Donny came back in the room, putting his shell cell back in his belt. "Leatherhead's coming." He announced, and then looked strangely at his Sensei. "Uh..."

Splinter held up a paw. "It is better not to comment my son."

"Raphy?"

Mikey's voice drew them away from Splinters new look, and they all once again turned their attention back to Raph. He was lying still. Too still. Mikey shook him gently as Donny knelt over him, checking his brother's vital signs.

"Raph, can you hear me?" Donny said, hiding the worry he felt in his voice.

"What happened, Donny?"

Donny looked up at Mikey and his shade wearing sensei.

"... I think he's in a coma."

* * *

><p>"Experiment terminated."<p>

Leo jolted in the seat where he had been tied down. They had put a gag on him. Leo hoped that he hadn't been talking whilst he was in the mind reality. If he had...

Wait, what had happened? Leo recalled the monster about to deliver a killing blow, but then he had been pulled from that reality and back into this one. He grimaced slightly, unsure of which reality he would rather be in at the moment.

A scientist took the metal ring from Leo's head. He could see Raphs bandana was slightly frayed at the edges, had he been moving around that much?

His vision was blurry, and he shook his head and focused, and then wished that he hadn't. He was staring at a furious Bishop.

"Shut down the experiment for the day." He instructed angrily, receiving several confused looks from the scientists.

"But sir-"

"SHUT IT DOWN!" The scientists and Leo jumped. "We cannot continue."

"But-"

"Do you know why we cannot continue?" Bishops gaze on 'Raph' darkened, clouded by anger, and he drew a blade from his pocket. "Do you know why this multi million dollar project must be postponed?"

He rushed at Leo, pushing at his neck with his forearm, driving Leo back into the chair, close to strangling him as he raised the knife in front of Leo's vision.

"Because this turtle, this mutant FREAK, _is not _Raphael."

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><p><strong>*stunned silence* Woah, I cannot believe I just did that to Leo... review?<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone! I hope everyone had a really lovely Easter :) I certainly did! **

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! 44TayLo, Bethlovesall, dondena, TimidBookworm, RainbowMoon13, AJ92, and of course, Rose Black Dragon. You guys are amazing :) Thank you so much!**

**And... a shorter chapter this time, but please enjoy :)**

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><p>Bishops knife was poised over Leo's throat, and the scientists around the room stood.<p>

"Sir, are you sure that this is the wrong turtle?"

"It must be..." hissed Bishop. "Check the machines power..."

One of the scientists bent over the controls and typed in some symbols.

"It's... Only at 35%... I don't understand…"

"Exactly." said Bishop, visibly restraining himself from cutting the turtles neck. "If this freak was Raphael, the machines power would be at least 60%. This turtle doesn't match Raphael's DNA, the DNA that we developed the machines to react to. It's almost identical... But it's not the one we need. Instead of having machines all over 50% power, they are under 40%... We have all of these machines, and nothing to power them with!"

Leo was beginning to perspire.

"Besides..." Bishop turned his attention back to Leo. "You talked, reptile. Your voice is different to what you make it out to be. We have a window into this realm of minds; we watched your every move. Did you think that we wouldn't be monitoring you?" Bishop paused. "Leonardo."

Against all odds, under the gag, Leo was smiling. He stared into Bishops eyes defiantly, because even though the Agent had previously been holding all the cards, he wasn't anymore. Leo was the wrong turtle, and the Agent knew it. Leo didn't possibly have what Bishop needed to power his machines.

"Sir, lower the knife."

The guard Samuel spoke timidly, but with enough authoritative tone to get Bishop to take the knife away from Leo.

Bishop ripped the gag from Leo, and the now red clad turtle bared his teeth. "What's wrong Bishop? Why don't ya use ya own rage ta power ya machines?" Leo mocked Bishop, still talking in Raphs voice just to piss him off. "It'd probably work better."

"You're in no position to mock me, Leonardo." Bishop seethed. "You and your brothers will pay for this."

"My brothers had nothin' ta do with this." Leo snapped. "It was all my idea. You know why this idea worked, Bishop?" Leo narrowed his eyes. "You know why my brothers call me Fearless? Because I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of you."

Bishop went to strike Leo, but then retracted his fist.

"You're not afraid of me." Bishop declared. "You're afraid of what I do. And what I'll do to your brothers. Am I right?"

Leo was silent, staring angrily at the agent.

"Miller," Bishop turned to the guard. "Ready a squad."

"Yes sir." The guard exited.

"What are you going to do?" Leo asked.

"What I should have done in the first place Leonardo. I'm bringing your brothers here. If I can't have the turtle that I want, I'll just have to have them all."

"You bastard!" Leo struggled in his chair, his muscles burning as he strained against the bonds that held him. "Just take me! They're none of your business!" Leo began to feel fear once again, fear for his brothers. Had he tried so desperately to take the punishment for them, when in fact he had just dragged them further into the lion's mouth?

"Well Leonardo, you've just made them my business. I'm sure your brothers will thank you for that." Bishop turned. "I'll deal with you later, once I have dealt with your brothers!"

Jesus, why didn't Leo anticipate this? In fact... Why had Leo chosen this plan in the first place? There were so many other things that Leo could have done… anything but this! Leo's head reeled, and suddenly he felt more like himself than he had in a long time. As he was dragged back to his cell and thrown in it like an animal, he started to formulate another plan... as he should have done weeks ago.

* * *

><p>"I don't understand this whole mess."<p>

Donny rubbed his head, not even taking his gaze from the bed ridden Raphael for a second. "This whole situation isn't normal." he thought to himself.

Mikey was next to a bed ridden Raph, his brow creased with worry. Raph. In a coma. It was certainly not a normal situation. His hothead brother was motionless, and it scared Mikey. It was better when Raph had been moving before, because even though he was in pain, at least they could tell that he was alive. But now Mikey had to stare at his brother just to see if he was breathing.

"... How long is he going to be like this Don?" Mikey whispered, as if his voice might break the pattern of Raphs breathing.

"I don't know, Mikey..."

The door to the infirmary opened, and Splinter came through followed closely by Leatherhead.

"My friends," he greeted the turtles worriedly. "What has happened to you?"

Donatello let Splinter take over watch of Raph as he explained everything from the start.

Leatherhead listened attentively, careful to control the rage inside him that had bottled up against the Agent who had caused them so much pain. As Donny finished telling their tale, Leatherhead shook his head in respectful silence.

"Leonardo must care a great deal about you all if he is willing to take torture... from him."

Donny nodded solemnly, and Mikey continued to stare at Raph, his eyes clouded with tears which he would not allowed to spill down his face.

"But how is Raphael in this state? The connection... I'm afraid I do not understand. This mental torture is not something I expected of Bishop." Leatherhead rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, not in this way."

"I believe," said Splinter. "That Raphael is still in the realm of minds. He did not return to his body when he needed to. It is not healthy to stay in the realm for too long. It distracts the mind from this reality, the reality in which the mind and body work as one."

"How do we get him out of it then?"

"I'm afraid we cannot." Splinter adjusted his shades which he was still wearing. "It is something that cannot help him with. Raphael must fight through his inner turmoil mentally."

Donny grimaced and made little attempt to hide it, much to everyone's surprise.

"What was that Donny?" Mikey stood angrily. "Don't you think Raph can find his own way out of this?"

"Well, it's just-"

"What?"

"It's not like he usually fights mentally..." Donny stopped as soon as he realized what he had said.

"You think Raph's dumb?" Mikey began to yell, and suddenly he felt an aggression towards Donatello that he never thought he would feel.

"Mikey-"

"I know what you meant! You think that you're the smart one because you can make gadgets?"

"Michelangelo! Donatello! My sons, you must be calm." Splinter attempted to intervene, however, he felt that he lacked a great amount of authority now that he was wearing shades.

"Raph is smarter than you think! He's gonna work out Leo's plan and bring him home! Okay?" The tears that Mikey had been holding back spilled, and he turned his back to everyone in shame.

Donny put a hand on Mikey's shell.

"I'm sorry, Mikey." Donny said gently. "I didn't mean it."

"Just don't make this any harder than it already is, okay?" Mikey sniffed, and grabbed Donny, embracing him in an almost fierce hug.

"I don't want another brother to change." he whispered. "Leo and Raph... Even me... Everything's different. Don't change too Donny."

"I promise." Donny hugged his younger brother back gently.

"My friends," Leatherhead spoke gently. "Look."

The turtles and their Rat sensei looked back at Raphael. A single tear had seeped from his eye and stained the blue bandana in a subtle symbol of his sadness.

"Can he hear us?" Donny looked over to Splinter.

"I don't know." Splinter accepted a comforting claw from Leatherhead. "It is certainly a possibility."

Mikey took Raphs unmoving hand, an action which Raphael would normally not allow.

"Hey bro, just letting you know that we're here for you."

* * *

><p>"I know Mikey."<p>

Raphael stood, watching the scene unfold as clearly as if he were watching one of Splinters soap operas. This was trippy. He couldn't seem to find his body, despite knowing where it was, yet he could see everything unfold as if he and his family were on telly. It even appeared screen-like. The rest of the area around him was just black and misty. It pissed Raph off. He couldn't see anything, and there wasn't even any sort of item that he could take his anger out on.

"Raph?"

Raph turned away from the screen and found himself facing Leo.

"Leo!" Raph reached out a hand and shakily touched his brother's shoulder. He gripped it tightly. "Is this real?"

"Listen Raph, I don't have a lot of time. You're stuck in the realm of minds at the moment."

Raph struck Leo. Hard. Leo reeled from the impact, but quickly recovered.

"Raph! Please! We don't have time for this!"

"I've got all the fricken time in the world Leo!"

Raph grabbed Leo in a headlock and dragged him over to the window which displayed their family, all thoughts of the fear that Raph had felt for Leo disintegrating.

"I'm in a freaking coma! Y'know why?" Leo struggled, but Raph held his head in place. "Because I was trying to work out this impossible plan that you have! To save ya!"

"I'm sorry!"

"What?"

"I'm sorry Raph!"

Raph dropped Leo to the dark floor. Leo caught his breath.

"Don't ta thinks it's a little late for that, Fearless?"

"It's all my fault Raph. And I admit it." Leo stood. "But Raph, you have to help me."

"With what?" Raph was still angry, but even so he felt concern for his brother rising in his own voice.

"Raph... I think I went insane."

"But- What do ya mean?"

"When Splinter disappeared, I tried the aura seeking. But, I don't know, it's like it's driven me loopy without me realizing it! My mind isn't as strong as I make it out to be. I think something happened… in my head. This whole plan isn't something that I wouldn't normally do. It's too inconsistent."

Raph growled. "I thought you were just talking tough."

"I thought I was too."

The brothers hated a moment of silence.

"Promise me you won't come for me."

"Leo, I'm not just gonna-"

"Bishop knows that I'm not you."

"Shell!" Raph was silent. "But..."

"He's sending a squad to New York to find you."

Raph cussed under his breath.

"What did he do to you Leo? Tell me honestly. There ain't no point in keepin' secrets no more."

Leo sighed, and proceeded to tell Raph about the personality influenced 'Raph' machines that Bishop developed.

"Shit." Raph trembled slightly. "Leo... I-I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault Raph."

"It is though." Raph argued. "If I'd just controlled this hothead temper of mine-"

"Then you wouldn't be who you are now. You wouldn't be my hothead brother."

Raph found himself smiling slightly. "And you hadn't gone with this insane plan, you wouldn't be my fearless bro."

Leo smiled a little, but then his attention was drawn to something in the black mist, something that Raph couldn't see. "Raph, I gotta go."

"But-"

"I'll help you out of here Raph, but you've got to get out of New York straight away. Promise me." Raph didn't reply, and Leo sighed, knowing that was the only answer he would get out of his brother. "Just follow your heart Raph, and your mind will find its way back. Home is where the heart is."

"Where's yer heart Leo? Is it home?"

Leo just nodded, and grabbed Raphs shell.

"Sewer, sweet sewer." Raph would have smiled if the situation hadn't been so serious. "See ya Raph."

"Wait! Let go-"

Leo picked up Raph, and threw him though the screen. In the image projected, Leo saw Raphael wake up. Mikey hugged Raph tightly, and Leo smiled at the happiness that was shown on his family's faces.

"Don't come for me Raph." Leo shouted through the screen. "Get everyone out of the city!"

Leo would have liked to stay and watch as Raph explained to his family and Leatherhead, but he had to go. Wearily, Leo returned to his body. To his prison cell. Alone.

"I'm done anyway."

At least his family was safe for now... he hoped.

* * *

><p>"Er, Mikey? Can ya let go before I suffocate?"<p>

Raph clamped a hand around Mikey, both hugging him and prying him away at the same time.

"I was just worried about you."

"Raph, what happened?"

"You were trapped in the realm, my son?"

"Yeah," Raph rubbed his head and retold his encounter with Leo.

"So we gotta get outa here." Raph went to stand with Mikey's help. "Let's take the Battleshell."

They nodded, and grabbed what little they could carry.

"Leatherhead," Donny called. "Can you gather that stuff for me?" Donny pointed at a pile of metal and bits and bobs on the other side of the room. "I've got an idea."

Mikey supported a shaking Raph and helped him to walk as Splinter led the way to the Battleshell, grabbing his walking stick and Leos Katanas along the way.

"Mikey."

Raphs voice stopped Mikey. "What is it Raph?"

"I don't say this often enough," mumbled Raph. "But... I just wanted to say... Thanks bro."

"Dude, what for?"

"For believin' in me when I couldn't believe in myself."

Mikey smiled. "Hey, what are brothers for?"

Raph patted Mikey almost affectionately on his shell as they all entered the Battleshell, and they began a long drive.

Or so they thought.

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><p><strong>Reviews please :P I love hearing about what everyone thinks :)<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys, thanks to the following people for reviewing :) TimidBookworm, dondena, Secret (do you have a fanfiction account? I think you should get one :P), RainbowMoon13, and Rose Black Dragon :P Thank you all very much!**

**Here's the thing guys. I've got a major SAC coming up at school, so I may not be able to update for a few weeks. Of course, I will try, but I cant garuntee :( If this assessment was an individual SAC, I would continue to update, but since it is a group assessment (Drama Ensemble Performance) I have to make sure that my group all contributes to this, and make sure that we all work together to get a good mark. Teamwork can be difficult sometimes... I know how the turtles feel :P **

**So, I quickly wrote this. Please review :P Thank you all so much for your patience.**

* * *

><p>They ascended the lift and quickly and quietly ran to the Battleshell, as fast as they could with all of the equipment Leatherhead and Donny had decided to bring. As soon as they entered the Battleshell, they could all tell that something was wrong.<p>

Donny raised a hand for silence, and they all held their breaths, listening.

Outside the shed that housed the Battleshell, they could hear the menacing sound of an approaching helicopter.

"Shell!" swore Raph, tripping over as he went to the driver's seat.

"No Raph! You can't drive." Donny panicked. "You just came out of a coma; your senses may not be working properly."

"What a' we supposed to do then?" Raph gestured to Donny and Leatherhead. "You two are busy with ya techno geek shit-"

"Raphael!" Master Splinter scolded.

"And there's no way Master Splinter can drive."

They all looked at Mikey, who had a grin slowly stretching across his face despite the impending danger.

"I'm going to regret this." Donny mumbled. "Mikey, you up for driving?"

"Am I ever?" Mikey bounded to the driver's seat. "Seatbelts!"

That received a backhand from Raph. "Ya idiot, just drive!"

Mikey accelerated, the engine heating up as Mikey smashed through the corrugated iron doors that housed the Battleshell.

"Whee!"

"Michelangelo, we must work on your corners."

"Master Splinter! Now's not the time to be backseat driving!" Mikey's grin disappeared as a red light appeared on the radar. "Uh... Donny?"

"Busy!" shouted Donny.

Leatherhead began connecting together the wires of the things that he and Donny had dragged into the Battleshell.

"Donatello, are you sure that this is going to work?"

"We have to try."

"Donny! We're being followed bro!"

"Try to shake them Mikey!"

"But be careful with your corners, my son."

Mikey could hear the helicopter flying closer to the speeding vehicle. "Backseat driver!"

Splinter adjusted his shades. "Head for the south bridge, my son."

"Sensei, when we get out of this, I am so teaching you to drive!"

Raph smiled a little. Mikey had said 'when' they got out of this, not 'if'.

"Raph, get your shell over here!" Raph was thrown from his seat as Mikey rounded another corner.

"What do ya want Donny? I ain't no good at the techno geek stuff!"

"You don't need to be! Do you think your able to connect to Leo again?"

Raph frowned. "Donny, we're being chased by Bishop! Do we have ta do this now?"

"Yes Raph! We won't have another chance to do this!"

"And what is it you're supposed to be doing?" Mikey called from the driver's seat.

"We're going to track Leo with aura seeking AND technology!" Donny shoved a metal ring around Raphs head. "If my calculations are correct, we should be able to get a signal from Leo without Bishop detecting it if Raph can connect to Leo."

"Come again?"

"I can release a faint signal from the tracker Leo has on him, which is virtually undetectable," explained Donny. "But that signal linked with Raphs connection to Leo, we should be able to track him!"

"And what good is that gonna do if we're stuck there with Leo? What if we get caught?"

"At least we'll know where we are," Donny attached some wires to the metal disk around Raphs head. "And we'll be able to find our way home from there."

"And what if I relapse?"

Raph looked into Donny's eyes, and he saw that he was genuinely afraid. Raph nodded in silent agreement of this plan. They didn't have a choice. Leatherhead handed Donny the remote to activate the tracker, and Don took it with shaking fingers.

"Uh... Donny?" Mikey took another sharp corner, trying to shake the helicopter. "Whatever it is you're doing, do it quick!"

…

Bishop looked down from the helicopter. "That's them." He smiled to himself. "I think it's time for a little family reunion. Don't you, Leonardo?"

In the cell, Bishop had set up a screen connected to a camera on the helicopter. Leo could see everything. Bishop knew how to tease a prisoner. To his horror, he realized that not only were his brothers in the Battleshell, but also Splinter and Leatherhead.

"Come on, guys." he pleaded to them in his head. "Get out of there!"

…

"Raph, connect to Leo!" Donny finished the device.

"But-"

"It doesn't matter if he doesn't respond!" Donny activated the weakest signal possible on Leos tracker. "Just as long as you have an aura that I can detect!"

Raph nodded, analysing the dangers and deciding that there was no other way. He concentrated, and found Leo's aura, now oblivious to everything else going on around him, he held onto it with everything.

Leatherhead put a scaly hand on Don's shoulder.

"Leatherhead," Donny said, not taking his eyes off Raph. "Remember how we discussed plan B?"

"Of course."

"Now's that time."

Donny turned to Leatherhead, and it was in that moment that LH knew that Donny and his brothers would fall into Bishops hands, no matter how fast Michelangelo drove, or how fast Donny and Raph could find Leo.

"I can't let you or Splinter fall into Bishops grasp again."

Leatherhead went to protest, but Donny held up a shaking hand and silence any further argument.

"Good luck."

Leatherhead reached to the front seat and gently picked up Splinter.

"Leatherhead!" Splinter protested. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry Sensei." Splinter looked to Donny, who was speaking with the authority of Leonardo. "You can't be caught again..."

"My sons!" Splinter struggled against Leatherhead's hold, but he couldn't escape it. He realized this all too soon.

"…Come back to me."

Donny nodded, and a single tear fell from behind the Rat's shades.

"We will sensei. With Leo."

"I promise." Raph mumbled, mildly aware of what was going on. "I won't come back without 'im."

As Mikey turned sharply around the next corner, Leatherhead threw the door open and leapt out into a dark alleyway, tucking their sensei underneath him.

Mikey glanced at Donny in the rear vision mirror. Once again, Mikey displayed a maturity beyond his years. "Don't worry bro. You did the right thing."

…

On the screen, Leonardo saw Leatherhead leap out of the Battleshell and into the dark alleyway. He didn't hear any of Bishops talk as the helicopter continued to chase the Battleshell. He hadn't noticed. Leo sighed with relief. That was why Leatherhead was there. Donny always had a backup plan. At least Splinter wouldn't be taken again... Even though Leo could see that his brothers would be next.

…

"I got it!" Donny yelled, a red signal appearing on his tracker. "Leo is 200 miles south of here!"

"That's fricken fantastic Don." Raph removed the metal disk from his head with Donny's help. "Jus' help Mikey drive before he crashes."

"But Raph..." Raph could tell that Donny was going into Doctor Mode.

"I'll be fine Donny. Jus' don't want Mikey to crash."

Donny nodded, and reluctantly went to help Donny drive. But Raph wasn't fine. He felt out of it, and he just hoped that he wouldn't pass out or go into another coma or something. Was this what Leo meant when he said he was going insane? Using the aura seeking so much that it made them so 'out of it', and made them make decisions and choices that they wouldn't normally make?

"Keep heading for the bridge Mikey." Don activated a gun on top of the Battleshell, ready to fire. "If we can get under it we can shake him."

…

Bishop spoke to the pilot.

"They're heading for the bridge." He growled. "Drop the claw."

…

"Yo Donny, you got anything that can do something about that?"

Donny was too occupied with the gun controls to notice what Mikey was talking about.

"About what?"

"About that huge claw that's hanging from the chopper!"

Donny looked up from the controls and gasped.

"Everyone get down!"

Raph drew a Katana and dived to the floor as the claw grabbed on to the roof of the Battleshell.

Mikey and Donny ducked, putting up an arm to shield themselves from the glass that rained down on them as the windows smashed. The claw crunched the roof up in its grip, as if the roof was made from paper. The Battleshell was lifted off the ground for a second, before the roof was broken away completely, leaving the Battleshell's interior, and the turtles with exposed to Bishops eye.

* * *

><p>Leo didn't make a sound. He sat and watched his brothers, praying for a miracle. The guard, Samuel, couldn't bring himself to look at the turtle. He could see too much pain and confusion in its eyes.<p>

"Why do you work for Bishop?"

Leo spoke to the guard, but he didn't take his eyes off the screen.

"What?"

"Why… out of all the people in the world, out of all of the genius maniacs on the face of this planet… why him?"

"I don't know Raph. Honestly I don't."

"Leonardo."

"Pardon?"

"My name's not Raph." Leo pointed to the screen. "Raph is there, escaping from your boss, fighting for his life. My brother's name is Raph." Leo's hand was shaking slightly. "The name's Leo."

The guard finally got the courage to look at his prisoner.

"Listen Samuel," said Leo. "If… for whatever reason, I'm unable to talk to my brothers when they get here. If, for some reason, I'm not myself-"

"Leonardo, I don't-"

"Tell them I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"They'll know."

* * *

><p>Raph felt the claw crash back down on the Battleshell again, and this time it scraped at his shell.<p>

"Mikey! How far to the bridge?" Raph swiped at the claw with the Katana.

"Not far Raphy! Hold on!"

Donny grabbed a hand held laser and fired it up at the copter. Bishop growled as he felt the beam rock the ship. The copter swayed, and the claw rocked, bashing into Raph as it was sent uncontrollably through the exposed Battleshell. Raph lay limp on the Battleshell floor, his head having bashed into the wall as the claw knocked him.

"Raph!" Donny continued to fire the laser, but it had little effect. The claw came down on Raph, and began to lift him up out of the Battleshell. "No!"

"Donny! What do I do?" Mikey was almost at the bridge, but he knew that he couldn't drive under it unless the copter let go of Raph.

"Abandon ship!" Donny pulled Mikey from the driver's seat, making sure that everyone had their weapons as they tried to grab Raph back from the claw. Don tucked the tracker device down the back of his shell. As painful and uncomfortable as that was, he knew that they would need it, and they couldn't risk Bishop having it. The unconscious Raphael could do nothing as he was lifted, and Mikey and Donny could do nothing to get the claw to release its grip on their brother.

…

Leo concentrated, closing his eyes and seeking out his brother.

"Raph, wake up!"

* * *

><p>"Wha?" Raph opened his eyes, and felt himself being lifted. "Leo?"<p>

"Raph!" He saw his brothers, and the blurred shape of the broken and battered Battleshell. Instantly, his first reaction was to grab his brothers, and lift them from the battered vehicle with him, from one danger to another. The Battleshell spun out of control with no one driving it, and overturned, the pride of Donatello's hard work skidding to a dead halt in an alleyway. What a way to go.

"I got ya's!" Raph saw his brothers, one hanging onto each of his hands, Donatello gripping the Katana that Raph almost dropped. "Hang on!"

"We're hanging dude!"

The claw retracted with great speed as the helicopter rose, flying over the bridge, the place of refuge that they had been so desperately seeking. Their last hope of outrunning this madman was gone.

"Ready dudes?"

Donny and Mikey nodded. They knew that they had lost this battle, but they could yet win the war. Maybe they could hijack the helicopter? Then again, maybe they would be terminated in the process…

As the claw reached the top, Mikey and Donny swung into the chopper, knocking two guards down. Raphael, using the Katana once Donny handed it back to him, pried the claw away from his body, and joined to fight. They knocked out several more guards, but stopped when they saw a different figure. Bishop backed up by two guards with needles.

Mikey held back a whimper at the sight of the needles. Donny stood protectively in front of his little brother, Bo staff outstretched. Raph, as usual, saw red.

He drew the Katana, and his eyes narrowed through the blue bandana.

"Come off it, Raphael." Bishop grinned. "There's no point in pretending anymore."

"Like shell there is!" Raph growled. "Where's Leo?"

"You'll be jointing him soon." Bishop nodded to the guards. "Take them in."

The guards leapt with great stealth and speed, driving the needles into Donny and Mikey before Raph could even move. Bishop rammed a knee into Raph's gut and pushed him to the helicopter floor. He grabbed a needle out of his coat pocket, but Raph closed his green hands around Bishops neck, and began to squeeze.

"YOU BASTARD!" Raph growled, but Bishop drove the needle into Raphs arm.

As his vision blurred and his grip loosened reluctantly from the Agents neck, he saw his brothers lying defenceless on the floor next to him. He raised his middle finger to Bishop, and that action would have been more effective if he had five fingers, but he did it anyway.

Bishop swatted the turtles hand away. "Sweet dreams, Raphael."

Raph pushed out one last insult before he zoned out. "The only sweet dreams I'll be havin'… will be ones where you're dead."

* * *

><p><strong>Will the brothers be reunited with the same Leo that they knew? What is in store for them? Please review :)<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey everyone! I'm Baaaack! Thank you very much to those who reviewed my last chapter (and escpecially to those who wished me luck on my SAC- thank you very much), TimidBookworm, AJ92, dondena, 44TayLo, Bethlovesall, Rose Black Dragon and LilNinjaWolf (thats a cool username, BTW)- thank you all, and I'm really sorry to have kept everyone waiting. Thank you all for being so patient :) *hugs***

**Okay... Leo lovers... please do not kill me. Please. I mean it. I promise Leo will be back to normal eventually. Soonish. But in the meantime... please dont kill me.**

**I really hope this chapter makes sense to you all. Please enjoy! (Oh, and a warning for Raphs mouth. Yeah, bit of swearing in this one)**

**Alura xx**

* * *

><p>The helicopter touched down, a group of heavily armed guards ducking under the slowly rotating blades as they carried the three unconscious figures into the base. According to Bishop, the drugs would wear off soon. They were taking no chances.<p>

Bishop followed the figures, the freezing snow brushing past his face as he headed into the base.

"Agent Bishop, sir."

Bishop saw the guard Samuel salute him as he entered.

"Miller," Bishop nodded to him.

Samuel nodded back. "The operation was a success then sir?"

Bishop smiled as the three unconscious figures were carried past him. "Very much so." Bishop frowned. "Is there something wrong, Miller?"

Bishop nodded. "I'm afraid so. The turtle, Leonardo, seems... To be acting strangely."

Bishop ushered the guard aside, as if to talk privately. "How so?"

"He just seems... a little more unresponsive than normal. And he was saying odd things."

Bishop growled. "Curse that reptile. He's of no use to us if his mind isn't healthy. He's been acting like his brother for too long." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box-like communicator. "But then again, the experiment can continue now that we have the real Raphael." He handed the communicator to Samuel. "If anything happens, contact me on this."

Samuel took the communicator with some confusion.

"Sir, with all respect, I already have a means of communication."

Bishop shook his head. "This is a private one, to contact only myself."

"I'm not sure that I understand your intentions, sir?"

"Miller, no one must know about the turtle's condition. This base and this operation is top secret, but somehow information always manages to leak."

Bishop adjusted his glasses and spoke in a whisper. "If this got out, the government could accuse us of mind manipulation. They already hate this operation enough. That would give them a reason to shut us down."

Samuel nodded. "I understand, sir."

"So do whatever you have to, just get that turtle to start behaving like itself again." Bishop raised an eyebrow. "If this operation proves successful, I can guarantee you a promotion."

Samuel smiled slightly. "Thank you sir."

"Good luck with your babysitting. You've got four to look after now."

"Yes sir!"

Another salute and Bishop turned and went away. Samuel sighed, and loosened the grip on his gun a little. Why had he been so tense around Bishop? He had never been like that before... Had he? No, Samuel shook his head. This operation was for the good of the country. Create the ultimate army, and create the ultimate defence force, right? At any cost, protect the people of his world from anything.

In the same way that Leonardo had taken his brothers place... To protect his family... No matter what the cost...

Samuel shook his head again, and hurried back to his post.

* * *

><p>"...aph... Can... Hear me?"<p>

Raph grumbled and opened his eyes, concentrating on the blurring green and purple figure in front of him.

"Heh?" Raph mumbled, sitting up slowly with Donny's help, even though Donny was still shaky himself.

"Lean here Raph. Stay sitting, okay?"

Raph nodded, rubbing his head. He was too groggy to argue. He felt himself leaning against something cold and metal. Bars. Bishop had them. Oh shell.

"That fucka." Raph made a strangling gesture to an imaginary enemy, disappointed that he hadn't cut off Bishops air supply sooner. "I'm gonna get 'im. He's gonna regret this. I'm gonna make him eat his own-"

"You can do that when we get out of here."

Donny cut off Raphs grumbling as he went to a sound asleep Mikey.

"Is Mikey okay?" Raph asked

"I think so," said Donny. "He's just exhausted. Let's just let him sleep for the moment."

Raph and Donny smiled at their little brother. He was so innocent, and they decided not to wake him from his peace filled sleep into this nightmare that they were all experiencing. They knew better than to put someone through this living hell more than they had to.

Raph pulled Donny down to sit next to him the moment he saw his genius brother swaying. Donny put a hand to his face, adjusting his bandana.

"You okay Donny?" Raph asked.

"Yeah," Donny smiled a little. "I'll be fine. How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Raph mumbled, and Donny knew that was the only answer he would get from him. They sat in silence for a few minutes, keeping a silent vigil over Mikey before one of them found something to say.

"So... Where are we?" Raph looked around, but couldn't really see anything through the darkness that lay on the outside of their cage.

"Good question," Don replied dryly, more for the sake of breaking the silence that acknowledging the actual question. "It appears we are now prisoners."

"No shit, Sherlock." Raph grumbled to himself more than Donny.

Donny smiled a little, but his face turned pensive. "They took our weapons."

"Argh, shit." Raph crossed his arms. He had been without his Sai for long enough, and now he had no weapon with him whatsoever. They had taken Mikey's 'chucks and Donny's Bo, and they had even taken the belt that Leo used to hold his Katana. Raph had secretly been hoping to give that to Leo in person.

Donny felt the tracker device still down the back of his shell, but he made no move for it. As glad as he was to have it with him, he wasn't sure if they were being watched or not. He didn't want to risk exposing their potential way home right at the start of their capture. It was such a temptation for the brainy turtle.

A few minutes later, Mikey woke himself up with his own snoring.

"Mmhnar?" Mikey asked, making up some inaudible words and attempting to sit up. "How long was I sleeping?"

Donny smiled, going over to his little brother and helping him to sit up against the bars. "Not long, Mikey. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by a clown riding an elephant."

"You'll be fine in a moment. Just stay sitting."

Raphs attention had been drawn away from his brothers to something outside the cage. His vision focused on something else in the room. It looked like another cage, and he could see someone sitting inside. But... Who was it? Who else did Bishop have prisoner here? And then it snapped.

"LEO!"

Raph called out to the other cage, but the figure inside didn't stir.

"Raph, what are you doing?" Donny helped Mikey over to Raph as he stood, leaning heavily on the metal bars as he reached his muscular arms through the cage.

"Look that a way, Donny! Can ya see it?"

Donny squinted through the darkness, and eventually focused on the other cage. "Is- is it really him?"

"Let me see." Mikey held himself up and looked over to the cage. "I can't see it very well... What if it's that clown that was riding that elephant? Maybe Bishop arrested him."

Raph glanced at Donny, and Donny shrugged at his little brothers drugged up speech.

"Leo!" Donny called. "Can you hear me?"

They saw the figure shake its head, and stand from its seated position. It stretched slowly, and turned to face them.

"Don?" It called back. "Is that you?"

"Leo!" Mikey had never sounded so happy in his life. "How are you?"

"Just chillin'."

That was not a normal reply from Leo, was it?

"Are you okay?" Mikey asked.

Leo didn't reply.

"Yeah, bit bored though." They saw the red mask Leo was wearing as he pounded a fist against the bars of his own cage. "Miss my punchin' bag."

The turtles were taken back.

"Don..." asked Mikey, staring at his purple clad brother with his blue eyes. "What's up with Leo?"

"I... I don't know Mikey... Did... Did Bishop do something to him?"

"Hey!" Leo called from his cage, pointing at the blue clad Raph in a small way. "Took ya freakin' long enough ta get here, fearless!"

Raph was silent. He didn't know what to say.

"Yeah..." he finally replied, a tear of anger slowly creeping from his eye as his face crunched up in fury. "Sorry bro... Took a little longer than I thought."

"Well, what are ya planning now?"

Raphs grip tightened on the bars. "I... I dunno..."

"But you've always got a plan, you freakin' knucklehead." Leo shot back. "How are we gettin' outta here?"

"I'll think a something bro." Raph called, resting his forehead against the bars in defeat. "I... I promise."

Raph retreated to the far side of the cage, putting his face in his hands as he sat against the corner of the room.

Mikey was confused. "...What just happened?"

Donny sat Mikey down. "I think Leo's not himself Mikey."

"Donny, I'm not a little kid anymore." He sensed the worry in Donatello's eyes. "Please explain it to me."

Donny glanced over at Raph. He understood the aura seeking enough to know what had happened the moment that Leo had spoken.

"Well, I think... Maybe the aura seeking has made Leo a little... Not himself."

"Crazy?"

Donny nodded. "Yeah."

"How?"

Donny sighed. "He said to Raph that he was going insane. Have a think about it Mikey. Leo hasn't been himself for a while, has he?"

Mikey thought back to after Splinter had been kidnapped. There had been more confrontations with Raph, more keeping to himself, and now they knew that he had also been aura seeking, trying to find Splinter.

"But... Why is he like this now?"

"He was acting like Raph to trick Bishop," Don glanced over at Leo in his cage. "Shell, he even looks like Raph. Maybe... With all that was going on... He thinks he's become Raph."

"Dude, that's trippy." Mikey sighed. "So, how are we going to get him back to normal?"

Donny looked into Mikey's eyes, and then turned away from his little bro. For once, he didn't have an answer.

Raph sat with his head in his hands. He couldn't bring himself to talk to Leo. He couldn't even look at him. The only thing he could say at that moment was a whispered chant to himself.

"Shit… shit… shit!"

After everything, kidnapping, drugs, aura seeking, coma, everything, he still hadn't found Leo. He had found a version of himself that he had been trying to escape from his entire life; the hothead. The stupid hothead who would blunder into a situation without a plan. What on earth were they supposed to do now? How would he get his brothers home? And... How would he make Leo himself again?

"He's been like that since you were captured."

Raph stood; alert to the voice that was approaching them. All three turtles stood shell to shell in the centre of the cage. As they stood, fighting poses strong as they had no weapons to draw, they saw a figure with a large gun approaching them.

"Who da fucks are you, junior?"

The guards face was expressionless, yet still held the innocence of a young man. Raph shuddered. It was the same innocent expression Mikey had.

"Raphael, I presume?" The guard nodded at the blue clad Raph.

"How'd ya guess?"

"He's been acting like you. Even when he knew what he was doing. It wasn't hard to guess."

"Whatever, junior," Raph scoffed, looking him up and down. "Didn't Mummy ever tell you it's dangerous to play with guns?"

The guard remained silent.

"Just tell us what the shell you've done ta Leo, and I won't smash your head open like a watermelon." Raph pounded a fist against the palm of his hand. "However tempting that may be."

"We haven't done anything to him," the guard replied. "He was completely normal until a few hours ago."

"Don't bullshit me!"

Donny rested a hand on Raph's shaking shoulder. He knew that getting angry wouldn't help, but he also knew that Raph would see no alternative at that point.

"What did you do ta my brother?"

"We didn't do anything." The guard repeated calmly. "He was just sitting there, when he was watching your escape on that screen," the guard pointed at a screen that was turned off, positioned so that Leo was watching. "And, when you were knocked unconscious, Raphael, he went into this meditation trance, and when he came out of it, he was different."

Raph was right up against the bars now. "You made him watch it? You freakin' sicko."

"It wasn't my decision." The guard retorted.

"Did you intend to just leave him like that?" It was Donny's turn to get angry now. "Just leave him in there by himself? "

"We… aren't sure what to do in this situation." The guard said. "This hasn't happened here before."

"Dude, that's uncool." Mikey snapped.

"He said-" the guard went to say something, but then forced himself to stop.

"What? What did he say?" Raph was getting ready to tear the bars off the cage with his teeth.

"He said that he was sorry."

Raph stopped. "What the shell for?"

"He said that you would know."

Raph struck the bars, visible bending one of them before pacing back up and down the cage. "He always assumes that we know." Raph thought to himself. "We don't know what goes on inside that head of yours, Leo!"

"Please." Donny's voice broke the silence. "Please let us go to him."

"Maybe we can help him," agreed Mikey.

"You must stay separate. Orders from the top." Samuel sighed.

"What if that was your brother?"

"Pardon?"

"I said," Raph came back over. "What if that was your brother?"

The guard was silent for a moment. "I would go to him."

"Please," said Donny, visibly worried sick about Leo's state. "I won't attack you, please just let me go to him." Donny sighed. "We aren't animals, we're just like you. I won't attack you."

"Me neither." Promised Mikey, who poked Raph for his answer.

"Quit it Mikey!" grumbled Raph, who then stared the guard straight in the eye. "I guess I won't."

The guard eyed them all suspiciously. He knew that they wouldn't try anything; he could see it in their eyes. They wouldn't try to escape with Leo like this; they would help him recover to his normal state of mind before they went anywhere. They would want to leave with all four of them together- not three and a half.

"Bishop," the guard spoke into the box like communicator. "The three turtles claim that they can help Leonardo recover from his current state. Is cage transfer permission granted?"

The box crackled. "Permission granted." Raph growled deeply at Bishop's voice. "But if any of them even glance at the exit, shoot them."

"Yes sir."

The guard cautiously opened the cage, gun fixed on the three reptiles as they made their way over to Leo's cage. The guard opened it, and Mikey was the first one in, diving on Leo and embracing him in the tightest hug that he had ever given.

"Mikey!" Don and Raph rushed in after him, and the guard slammed the cage door locked as they pulled Mikey off a grumpy Leo.

"Git off!" Leo grumbled. "This aint no time for hugs."

"Sorry bro." Mikey cautiously let Leo go. "I… I just missed you."

"Hm." Leo sat gruffly on the floor, fiddling with the bars of the cage in a distracted manner, and he looked up at Donny. "How ya doin' Don?"

"Yeah, fine. I guess"

Leo looked at Raph. "Jesus, Leo, you look like ya been through hell and back."

Raph clenched his teeth tightly. "I ain't back yet." He put a hand on Leo's arm, and was a little surprised to feel his brother flinch at his touch. "Listen Leo. Listen to me carefully."

"It ain't Leo, its-"

"LISTEN TO ME!" Raph cut Leo off so suddenly that his voice echoed around the room. "You, are Leonardo. I am Raphael. Okay?"

Leo looked puzzled. "What the shell are you on about?"

Raph tore his red bandana from Leo's face, and the blue bandana from his own face. "Here," Raph shoved Leo's hands. "This belongs to you."

Leo inspected the blue bandana carefully. "It aint my colour bro." Leo seemed to get angry. "Is this part of your great escape plan Fearless? Playin' dressups?"

"Just put it on." Raph put on his own red bandana, and he felt a little guilty to feel more like himself than he had felt in weeks, when poor Leo was nothing like himself.

"Okay, LEO." Raph said. "Visualise yaself as me. You are Leo, not Raph."

"Bro I aint doin' this! It's stupid!"

"Please," Mikey put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Just do what he says."

Leo looked at his youngest brother and saw how distressed he was. "Okay." He put on the blue bandana, and the others almost smiled at the sight. "I am Leo." It sounded forced, and Raph winced at the sound.

Samuel stood and watched. What was Raph trying to do?

"Don," Raph whispered to Don as Mikey decided it was time to hug Leo again. "You've gotta get him to visualise himself as Leo, not me."

"I don't know what you're trying to do, Raph."

"With the aura seekin'," Raph explained, "When you're in the zone, you visualise yourself," Raph scratched his head. "My guess is, he was actin' like me, and he was lookin' like me, so he visualises himself as me. And I reckon its driving him loopy. Like Master Splinter said, you shouldn't be in that realm for too long. Maybe that's why. Maybe you become something that isn't yourself."

Donny looked surprised. "That's a good theory Raph."

Raph shrugged. "I have my moments."

Suddenly, the doors burst open, and three guards came in as light flooded the room. Raph stood defensively in front of his brothers, shielding them from the harmful light and the harmful figures.

"Raphael?" One of them demanded.

"That's me." Both Leo and Raph spoke at the same time.

"Time for you to come with us."

They began to unlock the cage with Samuels' key, but before they could reach Leo or Raph, the newly red clad Raphael turned around and socked Leo in the face. That was the only way Raph could think of to get Leo to stay there. He wouldn't allow Leo to take his place again.

"Don!" Raph yelled as the guards grabbed him. "Get him to visualise himself. In the zone!"

"Raph!" Donny leapt after Raph, but found himself separated from his brother by the bars of the cage once again. "No!"

"Raph!" Mikey called, looking after a freshly punched Leo. "What do we do?"

Raph went to answer, but one of the guards put tape over his mouth, silencing any further ideas that Raph was going to shout at them. They dragged Raph, kicking and struggling through the doors, leaving the stunned brothers and the stunned guards in the dark again.

They were reunited with one. But had lost one again.

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><p><strong>REALLY HOPE THAT MADE SENSE. Basically, Leo thinks he's Raph... please review :)<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hey everyone! Oh my, I havent updated for such a long time- I'm really sorry! I forgot to mention in my last update that I had exams... and I've been sick... so yeah. This really hasn't been my month :(

Thanks so much to all of my readers/reviewers for the last chapter- Who am I. Well. I'm just me. (I'm starting to lose it too... apologies for the inconsistancies), dondena, TimidBookworm(haha, sounds like I blew someones brain...sorry ol' chum :P), Rainbowmoon13 (My SAC went very well, thank you! 54/60 hooray!), bethlovesall (Hehee, I do like plot twists :3), Rose Black Dragon (Dont panic, Leo will be back to normal soon. Hopefully), Silver FoxWolf (A pizza cake would be awesome haha, thanks for reading) and Knighted-Geek (Thanks for dropping a review :P)

Okay guys, this story is taking longer to write than I think. I'm starting to confuse myself, and I will openly say that I think this story is very inconsistant- as people have told me. So, I am going to sit down and work out the rest of the story before uploading again, so that means that the next update may not happen for a while...

Anyway, thank you all so much for reading and putting up with my nonsense. Your opinions are very much appreciated- no matter what they are. Thanks so much all of you :)

OH MY HOW HAVE I NOT MENTIONED THIS BEFORE? *clears throat* I do not own Ninja Turtles. But if I did... *evil plans* :P

Thanks everyone!

Alura xx

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><p>Donatello paced up and down the length of the cage, rapping his brain. Never had he felt so useless in his life! Raph had known what to do, but Donny didn't understand. He would have given anything to be where Raph was at the moment, to ask him, consult with him, to help him out of whatever situation he had gotten himself into, anything. He would rather be trapped with all three of his brothers than just the two. All of them belonged together as family, as brothers, holding a bond to each other that would never be broken, no matter how annoying or irritating a brother could be.<p>

Leo was being the annoying one at the moment. "Damnit," he complained. "It's not like Leo ta total someone when he sees them after ages. That's somethin' I would do!" He sat miserably on the floor next to Mikey, rubbing his sore face and complaining about the blue bandana he was wearing. "Leo just got a lucky hit, in case you were wondering'." Mikey was just content to sit and listen to Leo at that moment. He could tell that Donny needed some space to think.

The guard Samuel stood, more watching than guarding. He couldn't help feeling somewhat responsible for their plight. Raphs words echoed in his head.

"What if that was your brother...

What if that was your brother...

What if that was your brother..."

He lowered his gun slightly. "Maybe you could-"

"No one asked you." Donatello snapped. "If you want to help, you can keep quiet."

"Sheesh," Leo commented. "Don, somethin' botherin' ya?"

Mikey glanced at Don. Leo still thought he was Raph, and Donny couldn't grasp that completely, no matter how hard he tried. How on earth could someone believe that they were someone else? That was what was bothering him. He had always thought that Leo had such a strong mind, and it made Donny doubtful of his own. If a mind as straightforward as Leo's could be bent and broken, what about his mind? And Mikey's? And Raphs...

"Nothing's bothering me," Donny lied to Leo. "Just... I just want you to take it easy."

Donny winked at Mikey and sat down next to Leo. Mikey nodded back. He knew Donny had a plan, and Mikey knew just to go with it. That was what he would normally do... Even if the situation wasn't normal.

"So," Donny started, looking at Leo's wrists. He could see bruises that had formed under the wristbands. "Do they hurt?"

Leo wriggled uncomfortably under Doctor Donny's gaze. "Nah."

"Really?" Mikey poked Leo's wrist.

"Ow! Mikey, quit it!" Leo backhanded his little brother with the other hand that hadn't been poked, almost as if it were an instant reaction. Donny frowned at the action, and Leo inclined his head towards Mikey.

"Sorry bro."

Mikey nodded. "Dude, it's okay. I'm totally used to it by now."

"Let me see." Donny held his hands forward, and Leo gently placed his hands into his brothers. "How did this happen?"

"Bishop had me strapped down, when he was doin' his machine mind link stuff."

Donny pushed down his rising concern for Raphael. At that moment he needed to take care of Leo. Raph would have to look after himself for a bit. Surely Raph would be okay? Bishop wouldn't hurt him when he needed his mind for his machine to work. Donny was just concerned that Bishop would treat Raph like a battery. Drain the energy, and then be discarded when no longer needed...

Donny swallowed. "Does anything else hurt?"

Leo eyed Donny and Mikey. "Is there somethin' you guys ain't tellin' me?"

"We're just worried about you bro," Mikey chipped in. "We haven't seen you for ages, we just want to make sure you're okay."

"My head hurts, if ya really have ta know." Leo admitted.

Donny pretended to concentrate on examining Leo's wrist bruises. "In what way? Explain the feeling to me."

"I gotta headache, that's all."

"Explain it to me." Donny repeated calmly. He wasn't using Leo's name, nor calling him 'Raph'. He didn't want to confuse Leo; he had no idea what was going on in Leo's head. "Does it feel like a migraine? When did it start?"

"Uh..." Leo flinched as Donny gently stroked a finger over the bruise. "I don't remember... It-" Leo snatched his hands away. "Does it matter?"

Donny sighed. "I guess not."

Their conversation was interrupted by a soft thud of a packet landing on the floor near Mikey. Mikey picked up the small packet cautiously, and then looked to the figure who had thrown it to them.

"Bandages," the guard said. "For your brother's wrists."

"You're a good kid, Sam." Leo mumbled. "I still don't understand why your workin' here."

"It's my duty." Samuel replied simply.

Donny took the small packet of bandages from Mikey.

"Thanks... I guess." Donny eyed Samuel suspiciously. Samuel nodded, and retreated from the cage. Why had he given them medical supplies? He had never so much as talked to another prisoner before, let alone given them things. Why did he feel so different about these turtles? Maybe it was because they were different... Or they made him feel different... He just wasn't sure.

Mikey stood and went to the edge of the cage so that he was as close to Samuel as he could get. Donny glanced over to him, but proceeded to bandage Leo's wrists to try concentrate on their predicament.

"Hey dude," Mikey waved a hand at the guard through the bars. "I was wondering. Do you have a brother?"

"No." The guard replied simply, yet his eyes said more than what was spoken.

Mikey nodded. "Sorry."

The guard nodded back. "It's not your fault turtle."

"But you've had a family at some point. You must have been connected to them. Can't you see how connected we are?" Mikey said.

"Don't Mikey." Donny looked up from Leo. "Leave him alone."

"We're brothers," Mikey continued oblivious to Donny's request. "And we would do anything for each other. Do you understand why Leo came here?"

"No." The guard was becoming colder towards them as Mikey continued to talk. "I think he's insane."

"He's not!" Mikey argued. "He was just being a good brother. He took Raphs place so that Raph wouldn't have to suffer. But he's suffering now.. All of us are." Mikey stared at the guard, almost silently begging him. "Please, let us out. We won't tell anyone that it was you. We could-"

"No. It's my duty to keep you under my watch."

"But-"

"That's enough, turtle." The guard pointed his gun, and Mikey took a few steps back.

"Dude..." Mikey's mouth made a thin line. "I thought you were different."

"You were mistaken."

The guard wave his gun a little, and Mikey went and sat back down with Leo and Donny.

"Duty to what Samuel? What are you tryin' ta protect?" Leo asked as Donny finished tying the bandages.

"My country."

"From what?" Leo scoffed, standing up. "Defending your country from us? We ain't dangerous, Bishop is the dangerous one!"

Leo looked like he was about to throw a tantrum, but he thought better of it when Samuel pointed the gun directly at him. "We all have something that we want to protect. Sit back down."

Leo almost considered Samuel's words, but then he saw the aggression with which the gun was pointed. "Pointin' a gun?" Leo sat down. "Yeah, I bet Uncle Sam is real freakin' proud of ya."

The guard simply turned away. He had no reason to talk to the turtles... Even if they were innocent.

Leo's head throbbed harder, a pain that had been pushing at his mind the whole time. "He coulda given me some headache tablets." Leo mumbled, his blue bandana creasing with dissatisfaction as he crossed his arms.

"I think we should meditate for a while." The suggestion of Mikey's was so absurd at that moment, 'Raph' and Donny stared at him strangely.

"Right now Mikey?" Donny's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Really?"

"...Yeah." Mikey nodded at Leo, who snorted and crossed his arms at the suggestion. "It helps with HEADACHES."

Donny looked at Mikey as Mikey's eye caught his, and in that moment, Mikey winked at him, and then Donatello understood.

"Okay Mikey. There's nothing else we can do anyway."

Donny and Mikey sat in meditation positions, but 'Raph' didn't move.

"Come on," Mikey punched a gruff Leo lightly on the arm. "It'll help us to concentrate on getting out of here."

"Might as well," Leo sighed, unfolding himself from his crunched up position and into a posture for meditation. "I'm bored shitless in here anyways. We can't always wait for Fearless to think up a plan."

Leo closed his eyes. Despite believing that he was Raph at that moment, he fell into an instant meditative trance. Leo was always good at meditating.

Donny leaned over to Mikey.

"Mikey... Uh... Just to clarify... Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"We're going to have to aura seek Leo." Mikey nodded. "I think he's still in there somewhere. We just have to find his aura and get into his head, literally!"

"But this is to dangerous Mikey!" Donny whispered harshly. "We haven't tried aura seeking before! Splinter said that it takes weeks to learn!"

"You need to forget that stuff for now Donny!" Mikey whispered back, even harsher. "We don't have any other options at the moment."

Donny admired Michelangelo's smart thinking, but said nothing.

"Besides," Mikey gestured to a meditating Leo. "If they can do it, why can't we?"

"Okay," Donny nodded. "We find Leo, bring him to his senses, come back, and then bust out of here and find Raph."

Mikey nodded back and they both slipped into a meditative trance.

* * *

><p>"I really fuckin' hate your guts, ya know that?"<p>

"I gathered." Bishop sighed as Raphael struggled with all his might against the straps and contraptions that weighed him down to the chair. "Oh, and thanks for putting your red bandana on." Bishop placed the metal ring around Raphs head. "Now I know which one of you is which."

"Ya didn't before, you freakin knucklehead! You're so dumb you can't even tell two mutant turtles apart, and there's only four of us on the planet!"

"Do not test my patience Raphael. Leonardo has worn my patience down enough, so be very careful what you say."

"Bullshit! Like I'm gonna do that!"

The other scientists in the room went about cautiously setting the controls for the machine. Bishops behaviour had become even more erratic over the last few days, and it had not been pleasant for them. They were all careful with their tasks, leaving no room for fault. But the workers slowly began to understand why they were working that way. It was driven by fear, not by the sake of the experiment.

"What's this piece of shit supposed to do anyways?" Raph demanded.

"Is it made ta get people to do what ya want 'em to do? Is that why Leo thinks he's-"

Bishop turned and put a hand in his pocket, and half pulled out a sharp looking dagger. He gestured to it in a small yet threatening way. Raph sneered at it, but didn't speak further.

"No one else here knows that Raphael." The Agent spoke in a threatening whisper, loud enough for Raph to hear, yet low enough for the other scientists not to hear. "You will not speak of Leonardo's behaviour again."

"Why the shell not?"

Bishop narrowed his eyes, and didn't answer the Red Clad turtle's question. "Just because I need you for these machines to work, that doesn't mean that I won't seriously harm you."

"Right back at ya pal."

Bishop shoved a large lever downwards. "Enough of this. Machine mind link activating." Bishop glanced over his glasses. "By the way, this may hurt."

Raph struggled with all of his might, but he felt his mind being overruled by the power of Bishop's technology. His brain felt like it was being fried, like a force of ten thousand needles had penetrated his skull. His limbs struggled against his bonds, his wrists pulling against the bands that held him down. Raph knew that he would have lost of bruises from this futile struggle, but it didn't matter. He wouldn't give in, and nor would Leo. No matter what happened, he was going down fighting. Raphael's scream tore through the lab, sending a chill up the spines of the many frightened scientists. His vision began to blur as the machine took hold of his mind, but Raph still managed to squeeze out one last threat.

"You'd better hope that I can't control those machines when I'm linked ta them Bishop! Cos if I can, the first person I'm coming after is you..."

Bishop simply watched Raphael as he blacked out. The room was silent. None of the scientists nor the guards dared speak.

"I don't trust these turtles," he spoke, more to himself than anyone else. "We can't ruin this experiment, we've come so far already, and nothing can stop us now." He turned to one of the scientists. "We just need to wait a little bit longer. We need to be sure. Scan his memory. Find out everything that we don't know."

* * *

><p>Donny and Mikey concentrated. This meditation had to work, but the link with Leo had to be made. They didn't want Leo thinking that he was Raph; right now they needed Fearless, not Hothead.<p>

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

"Mikey," whispered Donny. "Do you see that light?"

Donny's eyes squeezed themselves shut tightly, and he focused on the light in the darkness that he found himself facing.

"Mikey?"

The light became brighter, and Donatello could have sworn that he felt himself walking towards it. Something was pulling him in.

"Leo?"

He shuddered, and his mind was transported into the realm.

Samuel could only watch them in wonder. This connection of the minds, is it what Bishop was trying to work the machines with, powered by Raphael's anger? But a connection so strong... If something could be connected like this, through freewill, would it have the power to break the machines?

He lowered his gun. Freewill, he though. The right to decide for yourself... To make the right choice. What was the right choice for Samuel to make?

...

"Donny! Glad you could make it!"

Donny found himself face to face with Mikey.

"Mikey! Did we make it?" Donny looked around, but there seemed to be nothing around them except for a lingering black mist.

"Either that or we're in Kansas," Mikey commented. Both brothers looked around, staring into the mist, trying to see something, anything.

"Donny," Mikey said. "... I'm scared."

"I am too Mikey." Donny and Mikey saw the fear in each other's eyes.

"No wonder Leo isn't himself, I mean, just look at this place. I think anyone would go insane if they stayed here too long."

"What the shell are we supposed to do now? How do we find Leo in this trippy place?"

"Mikey, don't panic. We can find him Mikey." Donny smiled at Mikey, and he gave a little smile back. Perhaps in all this darkness there really was hope. "The question is, where do we start?"

They heard a yell. It was all that they needed to hear.

Mikey glanced at Donny. "How about following the scream that sounds suspiciously like my older brother?"

They turned on their heels, and pelted through the black mist towards it.

"Leo! Where are you?" Mikey called and ran, Donny close behind him. Donny was painfully aware that he couldn't see anything more than a few meters in front of him.

"Mikey, wait! If we stay here too long we might go insane too!"

"So what do we do Donny?" Mikey kept running.

"If we can't get him out, we'll just have to try again."

"I don't think that I could leave him once I found him-"

"Mikey, stop!"

Donny grabbed Mikey before he ran too far forwards. Both brothers stopped, breathing heavily as they did so.

Through the mist, they could see something. Something terrible...


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hello everyone :) First of all, I want to make a huge apology for taking 6 hours... days... months?! SIX MONTHS TO UPDATE?! I am so so so sorry I left this to moulder for so long! You are all so wonderful and it killed me to have to keep you waiting- some family stuff happened... and frankly it was a little bit difficult for me to get back into writing after such a long break from it. Second of all, I want to thank each and everyone of you who reviewed (I wont name all of you this time, but I adore you all!), favourited or followed this story, or just for reading it. It means a lot to me. Thirdly, this will be the last of the wierd chapters, I PROMISE it will be more straightforward from now on. Fourthly, (is that a word?) Merry Christmas to all of you! It is actually raining where I am- usually its 40 degrees C around Christmas for me! If you dont celebrate Christmas, I wish you all a restful and safe holiday :) AAAND on with the story :P this isnt my best chapter, but I promise following ones will be more interesting. Also I recommend that you go and read the last few chapters again if you have forgotten whats been happening... :P

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><p>The turtles had been motionless for three hours, as had Samuel. They simply sat there, 'meditating' as they had called it. But it had given Sam enough time to know what to do. He glanced from the turtles to the door, and he knew what was beyond it. He had made a choice, out of his own freewill... he could only pray that it was the right one. Silently, he stood and, clasping his gun, he left the room, leaving the figures to bathe in their own silence.<p>

...

Through the mist they could see something... something too terrible. Donatello had just stopped Mikey from running into a huge chasm in the ground. The black mist that surrounded them seemed to be seeping from it like an infected weeping wound.

Mikey clung to Donny, shocked that he had almost barreled his way into the pit so easily.

"Don! How did you see that?"

Donny patted Mikey's shell a little. "I was looking." Mikey went to say something, but Don quickly put a hand over his mouth. "Shush Mikey! Stay quiet!"

Mikey struggled against Donny's hold, his orange banded eyes looking into Donny's, asking him so many questions. Why do I have to be quiet? What do you see? Where the shell is Leo? Didn't we hear him shout?

Mikey caught sight of Leo, and gasped a little. Donny nodded, but still gestured for Mikey to be quiet. Leo was halfway down the side of the chasm, crouched low on a small ledge. His eyes were shut, and his breathing heavy, but otherwise he was unmoving. He stayed still; it appeared that he hadn't seen Donny or Mikey yet. Why was he so still? What was he hiding from? It was heartbreaking for Mikey to be so close to Leo, yet so far away. Observing the very edge of the chasm, the black solidity of the floor had crumbled away a little, and Donatello could only assume that Leo had shouted out in surprise as he had fallen in.

Don froze too as he saw a red glow pass over Leo. A stomping noise grew louder, then grew quieter as they thing passed. The black mist swelled with the noise. Whatever it was, it was large enough to disturb a great amount of mist. Don took a hand away from Mikey's mouth, gestured for him to be quiet, and pointed at Leo.

"How can we reach him?" Mikey whispered, gesturing at the drop that separated them from their eldest brother. "I don't think he can climb up on his own."

"He needs a hand that's all," Donny whispered back. "Leo could make it if he had something to grab hold of." Donny quietly kneeled and looked down their side of the chasm at Leo. The red glow was further away now, and Donny decided to take the chance.

"Leo!" Donny whispered the loudest he could to his brother. "Leo, it's us!"

Mikey and Donny held their breaths, not daring to disturb the mist.

Leo had his eyes clamped shut, but he was sure that he had heard something, something other than the glowing red menace that was stopping his escape. Shaking from staying crouched on the ledge so still, but he decided to take the chance. He opened his eyes a crack and looked up…

Donny and Mikey smiled toothily as they saw Leo open his eyes and see them. Mikey hugged Donny out of sheer excitement. As soon as Donny was able to pry Mikey away from his plastron, he turned his attention back to Leo, who was now standing on the ledge with his shell flat against the cavern wall, his head angled up towards them. Despite the danger, they could see Leo smiling with relief and confusion. Donny mouthed to Leo, along with large gestures "Can you climb up?"

Leo understood what Donny was saying, but shook his head. "No footholds." Leo mouthed to them. Donny swallowed as the reality of their situation swarmed through Leo's eyes. Leo could suppress his fears almost as well as Raph, but his brothers could tell that something was scaring him. Did it have something to do with that red glow?

"But Leo you just need to-"Mikey began to say, but Leo gestured for silence.

"Shh," Leo whispered, and the brothers saw genuine fear in Leonardo's eyes. "Quiet, it hasn't seen me…"

"What hasn't?" But Leo just looked back down into the chasm. Donny could see that there was something that Leo was afraid of, even though he was unsure of the reason, so he thought quickly for a way to get him out. He looked around for anything that could help them, but there was nothing except for the lingering black mist. There anything useful here.

"Mikey," whispered Donny. "Give me your belt."

Mikey frowned. "Dude, I'll feel naked without it."

"Mikey!"

Mikey sighed and handed the belt to his purple banded brother. Donny set to work quietly and efficiently. He took off his belt and tied it to Mikey's, creating a long length of leather. With regular human belts this probably wouldn't have worked, however Donatello predicted that there would be enough length to reach down to Leo. The width of their shells meant that their belts had to be extra long. Handy.

Leo looked down into the chasm, searching for the red light, and then shrugging at his brothers.

"I can't see it." Leo mouthed at them.

Mikey shrugged. "What the shell was that thing?" He mouthed back with many exaggerated gestures.

"Raph machine," mouthed Leo.

"What?" Mikey mouthed back, but Leo waved a dismissive hand.

"Grab on, Leo." Donny tossed the length of leather down to Leo, and Mikey helped Donny hold their end of the 'rope'. Leo grabbed onto it and wrapped it around the palm of his hand slowly, watching the rope and the weeping mist at the same time. He turned his shell to the pit of the mist and began slowly climbing up the wall of the pit, carefully positioning his feet one in front of the other as he travelled closer and closer to his freedom. Donny and Mikey gripped their brother's lifeline with all their might, not daring to let up for second. Gradually, Leo reached the top of the pit, grabbing for the crumbling edge to pull himself up. Mikey and Donny pulled him up the remaining few feet to the relative safety of the blackened floor. Donny and Mikey helped Leo to stand, throwing their belts aside. "It's good to see you again Leo."

Leo smiled at his brothers. His eyes were dark underneath, as if he hadn't slept for a long time, and his broad shoulders were tense after being flooded with an amount of fear that Leo wasn't going to confirm. "The real you."

Leo laughed a little, the action causing his throbbing head to bring forth a wave of dizziness.

"Gee Leo," said Donny. "You look terrible."

"I've just been here a little too long." Leo whispered, glancing behind them cautiously. "We should get out of here. This isn't a great place to hang out."

Mikey choked back a giggle. "Hehe, hang out." He smirked. "It's funny, cos you were hanging-"

Mikey was cut off by a shift in the mist. The three brothers turned to see a red glow from the pit, its light seeping upwards with another weeping of the black filth, growing stronger and stronger, brighter and brighter. But this time it wasn't silent. It was accompanied by mechanical crunching, almost like... something was climbing up the side of the pit, just as Leo had.

"Uh, Don?" Mikey began to panic. "Which way to the nearest exit?"

Don and Mikey looked all around, not daring to stare at the red glow, but Leo couldn't tear his gaze away from the glow.

"Leo?" Don grabbed Leo's shoulder. "Leo what is it? What's wrong?"

"It's not going to leave me alone Don." Leo's whisper was so faint, the ghost of his voice catching in his throat. "Its Bishop's doing. It'll never stop chasing me."

"What wont?" Leo wouldn't look at him. Don grabbed Leo's other shoulder, turning Leo towards him. "Leo, look at me! What wont?"

Leo turned his gaze towards Donatello, and in his eyes were the reflections of so many questions that had strained the leaders mind. Why so venerable? ... Why was there fear in the leader's heart? Leo turned back to the filth to see a mechanical hand crush the side of the chasm. "... Raphael."

Donny and Mikey saw it too. The machine rose, a pulsating body of metal and hatred screamed down on them. Red glowed from its eyes, its pupils emitting the light almost blindingly. It was the colour among the band of brothers that was missing... and yet not the right colour.

"Bishop..." Mikey clenched a fist. "Is that what he's doing?"

The machine lumbered forward gradually out of the pit, like a shockwave to the explosion of fear. The turtles stepped back, instinctively reaching for their weapons... but of course they weren't there.

"It's pretty slow," Mikey remarked, even though his comment bought the turtle brothers no comfort. "Could we outrun it?"

"Head back the way you came," said Leo. "I'll distract it."

"No way." Donny said. "There is no way I'm leaving you here."

"I'm trapped anyway Don. I'm stuck with Raph-"

"Leonardo, listen to me!" Don thumped Leo hard, as if trying to bring him to his senses. "That _thing_ is not Raph. It's something made by Bishop, it's a pile of metal! I think it could be like a computer virus inside your head, trapping you from escaping, making your external body think that you are something that you aren't. But you need to remember that there is a real Raphael out there," Donny pointed to the machine, "and he isn't a thing like that. Don't you dare forget him, Leonardo."Leo tore his gaze from the machine and forced himself to look at his brothers. "And don't forget who _you_ are."

The machine, now completely out of the pit, rose to its full height, bearing down on the turtles as if they were insects.

A new determination filled the wearied leaders' eyes, and grabbing his brothers they began to run. Leo looked to Donatello as he ran. "For Raphael?"

Donny nodded. "The _real _Raphael."

The machine roared, lowering itself to the floor, and, on all fours like an untamed beast, it began to push its hardened shell of a body after the turtles.

"Do you remember how you got in Leo?" Mikey ran, his footsteps encouraging his brothers to join in.

"All I remember was this light."

The red glow of the machines eyes pierced after them, gathering speed as the turtles continued to run. Suddenly there was a glow in front of them, and the red of the eyes was seemingly nothing against the new source of light. It was almost blinding to them, having spent their time in this realm in darkness.

"Kinda like that?"

"Go!" Leo pushed his brothers in front of him, lessening the difference between his brothers and their escape.

The machine was gathering speed now, and it reached out a fearsome metal hand as it neared them, grabbing onto Leo's ankle as he pushed Mikey and Donny through the light.

"LEO!"

* * *

><p>The three turtles landed hard on their shells, almost hitting their heads on the floor behind them as they toppled backwards from their meditative positions. Donatello opened his eyes and groaned, adjusting his purple mask so that his vision was not obscured by it. Placing his three fingered hand on the floor, he rolled himself over onto his side and looked around. They were in the light again, the light from above illuminating the surrounding bars of the cage. <em>Back in the cage,<em> Donny thought with a sigh. Well, at least they were free from one prison. Mikey sat up, rubbing his head.

"Whoa, what a ride." He glanced at Donny. "If that's what computers do to you, I'm never playing another video game again!"

"Too right." Donny and Mikey turned their heads to see Leo sit up, rubbing his face and groaning. "I'd be happy if I never saw another computer again."

"Leo!" Mikey grabbed Leo in the biggest hug he had ever given, a grin plastered on his face which made him look like he might explode at any moment. Shrugging, Donny joined in.

"It's good to see you guys again." Leo struggled to talk under the mass of arms that belonged to his brothers, and he hugged them back with the same brotherly affection.

"How do you feel Leo?" asked Donny, trying to pry himself off so that he could get a better look at Leo, only to find himself also caught in Mikey's embrace.

"Fine." Leo said simply, looking at his brothers and allowing a small smile of relief to show on his face. It hurt his muscles to smile, because he hadn't done it for that long. He hadn't had a reason to smile up til now. "In fact, I feel more like myself than I have in a while."  
>Leo blinked, and immediately noticed something wrong. The colour surrounding his vision was blue.<p>

"Guys." Mikey sensed the seriousness of Leo's tone, and immediately released his brothers from his embrace. "I wasn't wearing my mask when I came in here... I was wearing Raph's mask, the red mask." Leo reached over his shoulder and pulled the trailing bandana ends towards his face, to clarify if what he was actually seeing was real. Yes, they were definitely blue. "How did I get my mask back?"

"Raph switched them," Donny explained, and he couldn't stop the concern for his brother being etched all over his face. "When he was here."

"He thought that it might bring you to your senses." added Mikey.

"Where is he now?" Leo's voice rose a little in pitch as he realised what was happening. Bishop now had the last piece of his puzzle. His machines could work properly if he had Raph's mind to power them. He didn't want Raph to go through it. He would gladly take his brother's place again if it saved him from that isolation, that pain. Leo knew about it all too well.

Donny shook his head. "Bishop took him."

"When?"

"Three hours ago." Another voice interrupted them.

The turtles leapt to their feet, immediately taking defensive stances, standing shell to shell in the confined space behind bars, fists clenched with pulsating muscle power behind them. The figure of the guard Samuel stood just out of the shadows. They caught the glint of his large gun. As his voice subsided, the echo engulfed by the enormous space, Leonardo turned to face him straight on, standing slightly in front of his brothers. He wasn't sure if he trusted Samuel, he barely knew the kid, but something in the guard's eyes told him that they could trust him.

"It seems that you've finally come to your senses, Leonardo," He said, lowering the gun so that it hung by a strap on his right shoulder. "And... so have I."

Samuel approached the cage, and Donny and Mikey immediately stepped back from him, still keeping their defensive stance, but Leo dropped his hands slightly.

"Leo," Mikey asked, his mask crinkling as confusion overcame him. "What are you doing?"

"It's alright Mikey." Leo said. "I think."

Mikey glanced at Donny. They barely knew this soldier. Was he to be trusted? Or was he just another pawn in Bishops game of chess? But they trusted Leo's judgement; he was their leader, after all.

"You guys made me realise what I was doing," Sam took out a set of keys. "I was wrong to follow orders and keep you from each other, I'm sorry." He turned the key in the lock, and his eyes met Leo's. The hardened soldier was no longer just one of many, he was becoming human. His eyes, previously so hard and emotionless, were close to tears. "There's nothing in the world I wouldn't give to see my own brother again."

He pushed the door open, its metal hinges screeching as he did so. Leaving the door wide open, Samuel stood aside, showing the turtles that their gateway to freedom was now open before them.

"You've shown me that family is worth fighting for." He produced a bag, and out of it protruded their weapons.

Leo left the cage first, cautiously stepping from the illuminated concrete to the shadowed floor outside the cage. He gently took the bag from Sam and looked inside. Indeed, all of their weapons were there, even Donny's Bo, a majority of which protruded from the top. Leo threw the Bo to Donny, who caught it in one hand. The sturdiness of the familiar wood under his fingertips was enough to make him smile with confidence.

"My chucks!" Leo tossed Mikey's chucks to him. "Did you miss Daddy? You did, didn't you? I missed you too, my darlings!"

Leo grabbed out his own Katana blades and the belt. He put it on, the familiar weight on his shell, but somehow it didn't feel right. Then he remembered that Raph had been wearing them, so of course they felt different. They had both been is such different shoes for such a long time, it was going to take some getting used to.

He took Raph's Sai also, holstering them in his belt as they had been before.

"Come on guys," he gestured for his brothers to come out of the cage. "Let's go get Raphael."

"I know where he is," said Samuel. "It may not be easy to get there unnoticed." He glanced at their weapons. "But I take it you guys can hold your own in a fight."

All three brothers smiled. "Let's go." Leo said, gesturing for the group to venture forth. "Sam, lead the way. Mikey, cover him, then Donny, then I'll cover the rear."

"Come on Mikey," said Sam. "I don't think we'll have long till they discover you aren't here." Samuel and Mikey made for the door, the pair clasping their weapons in hand, moving stealthily and silently.

Donny hesitated though, shifting a little as he felt some discomfort down the back of his shell. He had just remembered the tracking device that he had shoved down there for safe keeping. He realised that he hadn't actually had a proper chance to locate Leo's exact position back in the Battle shell, and that he would only have rough co ordinates at the moment. He knew that they were roughly 200 miles, but he needed more specific details. He just hoped that it hadn't been damaged at all. Maybe he wouldn't need it, and they could find a computer that could tell them where they were.

"Don," said Leo. "We have to go. I'm worried that we have left Raph for too long..."

"Of course." Leo and Don made their way after the others. Donny guessed finding their way home could wait until after they found Raph... but then he had been wrong before.

* * *

><p>AN: And Leo is back to normal! Hooray! Let's go find Raph! Someone reviewed asking for more Raphael hurt... so be warned for future chapters... *evil cackle* Have a very Merry Christmas everyone! I will try to update when I can- sorry in advance if I keep you waiting again.


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